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CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION 

"Plan  Your  Letter'' 


BY 

EDWARD  HALL   GARDNER,  A.M. 

ASSOCIATE   PROFESSOR    OF    BUSINESS    ADMINISTRATION 
UNIVERSITY    OF    WISCONSIN 


THE  GREGG  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 

NEW   YORK  BOSTON  CHICAGO  SAN  FRANCISCO 

England:    21  Harrington  Street,  Liverpool 


G,3 


COPYRIGHT,   191  9,  BY   THE 
GEEGG  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 


•  •  • 


PREFACE 

The  fundamental  object  of  this  book  is  to  present  a 
collection  of  material  so  graded  and  classified  as  to  be  effec- 
tive in  the  development  of  shorthand  speed;  and  so  varied 
as  to  give  the  student  an  extensive  business  and  shorthand 
vocabulary,  both  technical  and  general. 

Its  additional  object,  as  the  title  "Constructive  Dictation" 
implies,  is  to  provide  the  student  of  shorthand  and  business 
correspondence  with  a  means  of  learning  the  principles  of 
construction  according  to  which  all  good  business  letters 
are  built.  It  presents  a  complete  method  for  teaching 
business  correspondence  through  the  medium  of  the  dic- 
tation class.  ' 

Most  business  men  and  women  learn  how  to  write  letters 
through  observing  examples.  The  beginner  studies  the 
letters  written  in  the  office,  especially  those  dictated  to  him; 
but  the  first  and  strongest  impressions  are  received  through 
the  drill  in  the  dictation  class.  It  is  important,  therefore, 
that  all  letters  used  in  the  dictation  class  shall  be  good 
letters,  representative  of  the  best  modern  usage.  It  will 
be  extremely  valuable  also  if,  while  using  the  letters,  the 
attention  of  the  student  can  be  called  to  those  qualities  on 
which  the  effectiveness  of  the  letters  depends. 

There  are  two  elements  in  all  writing:  language  and  plan, 
or  as  the  teacher  calls  them,  style  and  structure.  Of  these, 
style  is  absorbed  by  observing  good  examples ;  but  structure, 
or  plan,  needs  to  be  taught. 

The  watchword  which  forms  the  subtitle  of  this  book, 

3 


4  PREFACE 

"Plan  Your  Letter,"  has  been  chosen  as  expressing  the  idea 
which  should  be  constantly  active  in  the  student's  letters. 
The  plan  of  the  letter  should  be  the  first  object  of  study. 
The  letter  which  is  rightly  planned  leads  the  reader  along 
a  path  which  has  been  prepared  in  advance  to  conduct  him 
to  the  desired  goal.  The  letter  which  is  planned  is  concise. 
The  letter  which  is  not  planned,  rambles  and  wastes  the 
time  of  its  reader.  The  well-planned  letter  is  courteous, 
and  increases  the  good  will  of  the  reader  for  the  house  which 
wrote  it.  The  most  ordinary  letter,  however  brief,  will 
produce  a  good  impression  or  a  poor  one,  depending  on  its 
plan. 

The  plan  of  the  letters  in  this  book  is  caUed  to  the  atten- 
tion of  the  student  by  superior  figures,  which  refer  to  notes 
in  small  type  at  the  end  of  each  letter.  The  letters  are 
classified  according  to  the  departments  of  a  business  house, 
and  according  to  subject  matter,  as  will  be  seen  from  the 
Table  of  Contents.  This  method  brings  together  for  com- 
parison, in  many  cases,  letters  presenting  similar  problems 
and  employing  a  similar  plan ;  in  other  cases  it  shows  differ- 
ent possible  plans  for  handling  similar  problems. 

The  object  of  most  business  letters  is  to  secure  action, 
and  the  plan  of  the  letter  is  the  vital  factor  in  securing  this 
action.  It  may  be  that  a  clear  and  orderly  explanation  is 
needed;  it  may  be  that  to  make  a  certain  statement  first 
and  another  .second  is  the  most  tactful  method  of  handling 
the  subject,  and  avoids  giving  offense;  or  it  may  be  that  to 
present  a  series  of  arguments  or  ideas  in  a  certain  arrange- 
ment will  successfully  persuade  to  action,  because  the  reader 
naturally  thinks  of  those  ideas  in  that  very  arrangement. 

Considerable  care  has  been  taken  to  represent  a  cross 
section  of  the  regular  correspondence  of  large  business 
houses  organized  by  departments.  My  warm  thanks  are 
due  those  firms  which  liave  run  off  for  this  purpose  extra 


PREFACE  5 

carbon  copies  numbering  many  thousands,  comprising 
their  total  correspondence  over  a  period  of  one  or  more 
days.  Their  generous  co-operation  has  been  given  in  the 
interest  of  business  education. 

While  lack  of  space  does  not  permit  acknowledgments  to 
all  who  have  aided  in  the  preparation  of  this  book,  I  must 
not  pass  by  the  substantial  assistance  of  the  following: 
L.  A.  McQueen,  formerly  Correspondence  Supervisor,  now 
Director  of  Mail  Sales,  B.  F.  Goodrich  Company,  Akron, 
Ohio;  H.  N.  Rasely,  Correspondence  Supervisor,  Norton 
Company,  Worcester,  Massachusetts;  J.  W.  Morrisson, 
President,  -Fuller-Morrisson  Company,  Chicago;  G.  B. 
Hunt,  Office  Manager,  Butler  Brothers,  Chicago;  C.  M. 
Wynne,  Assistant  to  the  Vice-President,  and  L.  P.  Walsh, 
Assistant  Superintendent  of  Correspondence,  IVIontgomery 
Waid  &  Company,  Chicago;  L.  H.  Beall,  Correspondence 
Supervisor,  Sears,  Roebuck  &  Company,  Chicago;  Edward 
M.  Skinner,  General  Manager,  Wilson  Brothers,  Chicago; 
C.  J.  WTiipple,  General  Manager,  Hibbard,  Spencer,  Bart- 
lett  &  Company,  Chicago;  Hugo  Biersach,  Sales  Manager, 
Evinrude  Motor  Company,  Milwaukee;  and  C.  L.  McMul- 
len,  Sales  Manager,  Fuller  &  Johnson  Manufacturing 
Company,  Madison.  Acknowledgments  are  also  due  to 
Printers'  Ink  for  letters  here  reproduced. 

To  my  publishers,  my  hearty  thanks  are  due  for  their 
kind  co-operation  in  all  the  phases  of  the  preparation  of  the 
book,  including  most  valuable  advice  and  suggestions. 
In  common  with  the  teachers  and  students  who  will  use  the 
shorthand  outlines,  I  am  deeply  indebted  to  Miss  Georgie 
G.  Gregg,  who  is  responsible  for  their  preparation.  To 
Hubert  A.  Hagar  I  owe  thanks  for  his  strong  and  continued 
interest  in  the  teaching  of  business  correspondence  through 
the  medium  of  the  dictation  class,  an  interest  which  has 
stimulated  and  encouraged  me  in  the  present  undertaking. 


6  PREFACE 

Finally,  may  I  express  my  debt  to  those  many  teachers, 

in  response  to  whose  request  this  book  was  begun,   and 

whose  devotion  to  the  cause  of  commercial  education  is 

a  constant  inspiration  to  me. 

Edward  H.  Gardner 
Madison,  Wisconsin, 
January,  1919 


SUGGESTIONS  FOR  THE  TEACHER 

Business  Correspondence 

Through  the  use  of  this  book,  the  attention  of  the  class 
may  be  called  to  the  principles  of  business  correspondence, 
as  pointed  out  in  the  footnotes  to  each  letter,  even  if  little 
or  no  additional  time  can  be  given  to  the  separate  study  of 
the  subject.  The  fact  that  the  students  have  the  book  in 
their  hands  and  are  constantly  referring  to  it,  will  impress 
on  their  minds  the  importance  of  a  careful  plan  for  every 
business  letter. 

The  teacher's  great  advantage  in  using  the  dictation  class 
as  a  medium  for  teaching  business  correspondence  is  that 
the  class  receives  abundant  practice  in  carrying  out  the 
principles  involved.  Every  teacher  recognizes  the  need 
for  constant  practice  in  writing,  if  students  are  really  to 
learn  to  write,  but  the  time  is  often  all  too  short  for  this. 

Such  principles  as  "subject  first,"  "courteous  ending," 
"conciseness,"  etc.,  will  impress  themselves  on  the  minds 
of  the  students  through  repeated  observation  and  will 
become  second  nature.  The  careful  plan  and  the  effective 
phrasing  of  the  letters  will  make  a  double  impression  through 
the  attention  called  to  them  by  the  footnotes. 

The  following  suggestions  will  prove  useful  according  to 
the  varying  amount  of  time  at  the  teacher's  disposal. 

In  connection  with  each  day's  assignment  call  attention 
to  the  plan  of  the  letters  and  to  other  principles  explained 
in  the  footnotes. 

7 


8        SUGGESTIONS  FOR  THE  TEACHER 

Ask  the  students  to  explain  in  more  detail  the  reasons  for 
the  plan,  the  paragraphing,  and  the  phrasing  of  letters,  or, 
where  different  methods  are  represented,  to  express  a  pref- 
erence for  one  method  over  the  other. 

Many  letters  illustrate  points  of  tact  and  effectiveness 
too  numerous  to  be  covered  by  the  footnotes.  Encourage 
the  class  to  discover  these  and  to  discuss  them. 

Discuss  with  the  class  the  importance  of  plan  as  an  ele- 
ment in  successful  business  transactions,  asking  them  to 
present  illustrations,  such  as  planning  for  a  journey,  plan- 
ning for  the  use  of  study  hours,  of  spare  time,  etc. 

Draw  a  connection  between  neat  appearance  of  the  letter 
on  the  page,  and  the  writer's  plan  to  produce  an  impression 
on  the  reader.  Discuss  the  reasons  for  position,  spacing, 
form,  etc.,  of  the  various  parts  of  the  letter  in  the  different 
styles  shown  in  facsimile  throughout  the  book. 

Discuss  the  value  of  good  first  sentences,  contrasting 
with  the  wordy  type  often  found  in  business  letters. 

Discuss  the  value  of  good  last  sentences  for  leaving  a 
pleasant  impression,  for  summarizing  the  letter,  or  for  lead- 
ing to  action. 

Analyze  and  describe  the  "human  problem"  presented 
by  a  given  letter,  so  that  the  class  will  understand  the 
relations  between  writer  and  reader,  and  will  appreciate 
the  mcEuis  taken  to  -secure  action  under  these  circum- 
stances. 

At  the  beginning  of  each  section  of  letters,  discuss  with 
the  class  the  nature  of  the  business  situation  involved, 
drawing  illustrations  from  familiar  experience. 

Gather  from  the  experience  of  the  class,  of  their  parents, 
or  of  local  merchants,  situations  similar  to  those  shown  in 
the  letters,  and  assign  original  letters  to  be  written  on  these 
topics  by  the  class. 

Place  such  a  topic  on  the  board  and  ask  a  student  to  die- 


SUGGESTIONS    FOR    THE    TEACHER  9 

tate  a  suitable  letter.  The  teacher,  or  other  members  of 
the  class,  can  criticize  the  dictation. 

Assign  to  the  class  the  problem  of  writing  a  reply  to  a 
given  letter  in  the  text. 

With  the  aid  of  the  rules  in  the  Appendix,  study  the 
punctuation  of  letters.  Assign  one  or  more  rules  at  a  time, 
asking  the  class  to  find  and  Ust  a  certain  number  of  examples 
of  each  from  a  given  section  of  the  book.  When  the  rules 
have  thus  been  learned,  a  few  at  a  time,  the  class  may  be 
required  to  explain,  by  reference  to  the  rule,  each  mark  of 
punctuation  in  a  given  letter. 

Shorthand 

The  letters  and  articles  in  this  book  are  to  be  assigned 
for  practice,  while  new  matter  should  be  given  from  a  book 
not  possessed  by  the  students. 

In  order  to  get  the  best  results  both  in  the  study  of  cor- 
respondence and  of  shorthand,  the  book  should  be  placed  in 
the  hands  of  the  student  and  the  letters  should  be  carefully 
prepared  before  they  are  dictated. 

Special  practice  should  be  required  on  the  technical  words 
and  phrases.  To  prevent  students  from  multiplying  their 
errors,  it  will  be  well,  before  the  dictation  is  begun,  for  the 
teacher  to  place  on  the  board  the  shorthand  outlines  for 
the  entire  letter",  or  at  least  the  more  difficult  outlines  and 
phrases.  All  notes  taken  from  dictation  should  be  read 
back,  and  if  possible  all  letters  should  be  transcribed  on  the 
typewriter.  This  practice  will  serve  a  double  purpose. 
It  will  give  the  student  excellent  practice  in  quickly  trans- 
cribing his  shorthand  notes,  and  will  also  be  invaluable  in 
teaching  the  mechanics  of  the  business  letter. 

After  the  letters  have  been  duly  prepared  and  have  been 
discussed    from    the    business    correspondence    viewpoint, 


10  SUGGESTIONS    FOR    THE    TEACHER 

they  should  be  dictated  at  a  rate  consistent  with  the  writing 
speed  of  the  student.  The  rate  of  dictation,  of  course,  should 
be  increased  with  each  repetition  until  the  student's  limit 
of  speed  has  been  reached. 

As  far  as  possible  all  discussions  pertaining  to  the  letters 
and  the  shorthand  outlines  should  precede  the  dictation. 
When  the  dictation  practice  is  begun  there  should  be  no 
interruption,  so  that  the  students  may  more  fully  concentrate 
on  the  work  at  hand.  Fifteen  minutes  of  intensive  and 
continuous  dictation  practice  is  much  more  helpful  than 
twice  that  amount  of  short  spurts  broken  by  frequent 
interruptions. 

While  it  will  be  impossible  for  the  teacher  to  examine 
carefully  all  of  the  shorthand  outlines,  care  should  be  taken 
to  see  that  the  necessary  preparation  is  made  and  that  an 
occasional  specimen,  both  of  copy  work  and  notes  taken  from 
dictation,  should  be  submitted  for  criticism. 

Use  of  Vocabulary 

The  vocabulary  consists  of  thirty-two  pages,  a  total  of 
about  3000  words,  arranged  alphabetically.  Word  signs 
and  words  written  in  full,  according  to  alphabetical  char- 
acters, Eu-e  not  included.  While  the  words  found  in  the 
book  form  the  basis  for  the  vocabulary,  many  other  words, 
including  derivatives  and  words  having  similar  shorthand 
outlines,  have  been  added.  The  vocabulary  offers  the 
teacher  an  excellent  opportunity  of  teaching  the  outlines 
for  all  the  different  forms  of  the  words  as  they  occur  in  the 
dictation.  The  student  should  be  encouraged  first  to  write 
all  words  in  accordance  with  his  understanding  of  the  prin- 
ciple involved,  and  then  to  check  up  all  doubtful  words  with 
the  vocabulary,  before  practicing  the  outline. 

In  order  to  facilitate  reading,  the  letters  and  articles  are 


SUGGESTIONS    FOR    THE    TEACHER  11 

counted  in  sections  of  twenty  words  each.  Names  and 
addresses  are  not  included  in  the  words  counted,  and  figures 
are  counted  as  read;  i.e.,  $365.45  is  read  three  hundred 
sixty-five  dollars  and  forty -five  cents,  and  is  counted  as  nine 
words. 


SUGGESTIONS  FOR   THE   STUDENT 

When  preparing  each  day's  assignment,  imagine  that  you 
are  the  secretary  of  the  person  dictating  the  letter,  and  that 
you  are  trying  to  learn  how  he  handles  his  correspondence. 
You  are  looking  forward  to  the  day  when  your  employer 
will  give  you  a  simple  memorandum,  or  a  brief  note,  and 
will  ask  you  to  "write  that  letter."  In  other  words,  you, 
and  not  he,  will  some  day  write  most  of  his  letters. 

Consequently  you  wish  to  study  and  to  understand  each 
letter  you  transcribe.  Study  each  unfamiliar  word,  re- 
ferring, for  business  terms  and  the  shorthand  outlines,  to 
the  glossary  and  vocabulary  in  the  Appendix,  and  to  a 
dictionary  for  other  words  new  to  you. 

Then  ask  yourself,  "Do  I  understand  the  situation  covered 
by  this  letter.^  What  result  does  it  aim  to  accomplish.^ 
What  impression  does  it  wish  to  leave,  or  what  action  is  the 
reader  desired  to  take.*^" 

Next  inquire  what  plan  it  follows,  what  it  says  first, 
second,  and  third,  and  what  reasons  lie  behind  the  plan. 

Observe  carefully  its  paragraphing,  remembering  that 
for  the  sake  of  clearness  each  new  topic  should  be  given  a 
separate  paragraph,  and  that  for  the  sake  of  emphasis 
important  statements  may  be  made  to  stand  out  by  being 
presented  in  very  short  paragraphs.  As  a  rule,  long  letters 
will  contain  some  comparatively  long  paragraphs;  and 
variety  in  paragraph  length  is  always  desirable. 

Is  the  letter  clear?  Has  it  omitted  anything  necessary 
to  the  reader's  understanding.*^ 

12 


SUGGESTIONS    FOR    THE    STUDENT  13 

Is  the  letter  concise?  Does  it  avoid  wasting  words? 
Is  it  courteous?  Does  it  leave  a  pleasant  impression? 
Is  it  tactful?  Does  it  avoid  giving  offense?  Can  you  see 
how  a  clumsily  worded  letter  on  this  subject  might  give 
offense?  Would  this  letter  produce  good  will  and  make  its 
reader  inclined  to  continue  business  relations  with  the 
house  that  sent  it  out? 

Is  the  letter  persuasive?  Does  it  contain  enough  to  lead 
the  reader  to  take  the  desired  action? 

Are  there  phrases  in  the  letter  that  seem  to  you  especially 
effective?  Perhaps  they  are  worth  learning  and  trying 
to  practice  the  next  time  you  have  an  opportunity. 

The  right  use  of  this  book  w  ill  lead  to  your  increased  use- 
fulness and  advancement  in  the  business  world.  Read  the 
letters  several  times;  observe  the  footnotes;  watch  for 
interesting  and  effective  phrases,  and  by  reference  to  the 
vocabulary  learn  the  correct  shorthand  outHnes  for  all  new 
words  and  phrases. 

As  you  practice  to  become  a  skilled  recorder  and  trans- 
criber of  other  people's  words,  determine  also  to  understand 
the  ideas  back  of  the  letters  you  take  down.  You  will  take 
dictation  more  accurately  and  rapidly  if  you  understand 
what  you  are  writing.  Moreover,  when  your  chance  comes, 
you  will  be  ready  to  play  a  more  responsible  part  in  the 
business  in  which  you  have  a  shaie. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

LETTERS  PAGE 

INFORMATION  ASKED   OR  GIVEN 9          19 

ADJUSTMENTS , 121          24 

Information  Asked •.    .  21 

Delay 26 

Return  and  Allowance 33 

Cancellation  and  Correction      34 

Out  of  Stock      36 

Goods  Short  and  Lost      45 

Goods  Over  and  Wrong  Goods  Sent 52 

Damage 55 

Defect 58 

Exchange 60 

Wrong  Charge 61 

Allowance 64 

Customer's  Error 67 

Directions  for  Operation 78 

MiscELL.-yvEOus,    Including    Letters   Anticipating 

Complaint 80 

ORDERS 2            84 

QUOTATIONS 10            85 

CLAIMS  AGAINST  RAILROADS 9            90 

TRAFFIC   DEPARTMENT   LETTERS 10            94 

CREDIT  AND   COLLECTION    (Subdivided)      ...  86   '        99 
Requests  for  Credit  Information  from  the  Trade 

AND  from  Salesmen  .    .    .' 99 

Requests    for    Credit    Information    and    Other 

Credit  Letters  to  the  Customer 102 

C.  O.  D.  Shipments 112 

Urging  the  Discount •      113 

First  Collection  Letters      114 

15 


16  CONTENTS 

Second  Collection  Letters 116 

Petty  Account  Letters 117 

Granting  Extension 118 

Broken  Promise  Letter 119 

Part  Payment  Letters 119 

Third  Collection  Letters 122 

Draft  Letters 123 

Later  Collection  Letters 126 

Final  Collection  Letters 128 

Collection  Agency  Letters      132 

Discrepancies  in  Account 133 

Discount  Wrongfully  Deducted 138 

Check  Protested 139 

Correspondence  with  Attorneys 141 

EMPLOYMENT 5  145 

LETTERS  OF  APPRECIATION 5  148 

LETTERS  TO   SALESMEN 22  152 

SALES  LETTERS 122  164 

Letters  to  Consumers 164 

Letters  to  Dealers -.    .  189 

Books  and  Magazines '  215 

Real  Estate 221 

"Jogging"  Letters 225 

Financial 229 

Letters  to  Large  Users 236 

ARTICLES  FOR  DICTATION 26  251 

Importance  of  Business  Letters 251 

Motives  Behind  all  Buying 254 

Good  Will      256 

Dangerous  Letters 257 

Opportunity  of  Business  Letters 258 

Social  Importance  of  Good  Sale;smanship      .    .    .  262 

Arousing  Mental  Images 263 

Efficient  Cost  Keeping 265 

The  Dynamic  Idea 267 

Faith  in  Self •  268 

Organization  and  Management 270 

Studying  the  Article 270 


CONTENTS  17 

Basis  of  Business  Rewards 273 

The  Business  Position 274 

Guide  to  Business  Success 275 

Advertising  as  a  Business  Force 277 

Interpretative  Function  of  Accounting     ....  279 

The  Retail  Store 281 

Jobbers  Service 282 

Capital  Saved  by  Being  ConsuxMed 285 

Division  of  Labor 286 

Advantages  of  Division  of  Labor 287 

American  Industrial  Democracy 288 

Knowledge  Viewed  in  Relation  to  Professional 

Skill 291 

Work  of  the  Planning  Department 293 

Flag  Day  Address  of  the  President 295 

GLOSSARY  OF  BUSINESS  TERMS 301 

RULES  OF  PUNCTUATION      323 

SUGGESTIONS    FOR    CIVIL    SERVICE    CANDI-    . 

DATES 336 

SHORT-HAND  VOCABULARY 345 


CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION 

INFORMATION   ASKED    OR   GIVEN 

1 

Mr.  A.  R.  Carter, 

154  Pierce  Street, 

Racine,  Wisconsin. 
Dear  Sir: 

The  authority  to  decide  what  books  are  to  be  used  in  the  schools,^ 
concerning  which  you  ask  in  |  your  letter  of  November  9,-  is  conferred 
by  law  upon  the  school  board. 

I  believe  the  proper  way  to  proceed  |  in  this  case  is  for  the  board 
to  hold  a  legal  meeting,  and  at  this  meeting  formally  decide  what 
books  I  shall  be  used.     This  decision  may  then  be  enforced.^ 

Doubtless  there  will  be  no  difficulty,  but  if  I  can  assist  |  you 
further,  please  let  me  know.* 

Yours  very  truly,     (89) 

1  Subject    2  Reference    3  Further  suggestion,  to  help  inquirer    4  Shows  willingness  to  serve 

2 

Mr.  H.  G.  Skinner, 

86  Covington  Avenue, 

Hoboken,  New  Jersey. 
Dear  Sir:. 

Your  letter  of  June  12  raises  a  question  about  which  there  is  some 
difference  of  opinion  in  official  |  quarters.^ 

The  Fourth  Assistant  Postmaster  General  has  modified  the  rul- 
ing of  the  .Post-Olfice  Department  condemning  chain  letters  so  that  | 
it  will  not  affect  those  chain  letters  designed  to  encourage  the  sale  of 
thrift  stamps.  Contrary  to  this,  however.  Secretary  |  of  the  Treasm*y 
McAdoo  has  stated  that  the  Treasury  Department  is  in  no  way  re- 
sponsible for  these  chain  letters  and,  |  instead  of  encouraging  their 
use,  emphatically  disapproves  of  them.- 

The  State  Council  of  Defense  has  seen  no  necessity  for  modify- 
ing I  in  any  way  its  action  of  nearly  a  year  ago  vigorously  condemn- 
ing the  use  of  chain  letters  in  any  form.^    | 

Yours  truly,     (122) 

1  Subject,  difference  of  opinion.     Note  concise  first  sentence  and  subordinated  reference  to 
date  of  preceding  letter     2  Subject  amplified     3  Conclusion 

19 


20  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

3 

Mr.  E.  P.  ElUs, 

101  Delia  Avenue, 

Hamilton,  Ohio. 
Dear  Sir: 

So  far  as  we  are  aware  the  Government  has  not  published  a 
Conservation  List  or  Non-essential  List,  |  for  which  you  inquired  on 
June  13.^  It  is  presumed  that  some  time  before  the  new  "work  or 
fight"  regulations  |  go  into  effect  on  July  1,  such  hsts  will  be  pub- 
lished. As  soon  as  we  receive  them  they  will  be  |  forwarded  to  the 
County  Councils.^ 

Yours  truly,     (67) 

1  Answers  question;    note  indirect  reference  to  date     2  Promises  further  aid  when  possible 

4 

Mr.  Frank  Baker, 

Aberdeen,  South  Dakota. 
Dear  Sir: 

I  am  informing  the  State  Threshermen's  Committee  of  the  con- 
tents of  your  letter  of  June  13.^ 

This  committee  |  is*  extremely  anxious  that  the  local  Thresher- 
men's  Committees  in  the  several  counties  shall  be  appointed  at  the 
earliest  possible  date,  |  in  order  that  ample  time  may  be  given  for  the 
preparation  necessary  to  insure  a  minimum  of  waste  in  threshing  | 
this  season.2  They  ask  me  to  urge  your  council  to  make  its  selection 
of  a  practical  thresherman  member  of  this  |  committee  very  soon  in 
order  that  the  work  may  start  in  Calumet  County.^ 

Yours  truly,     (95) 

1  Answers  request    2  Gives  information     3  Urges  action 

5 

Mr.  K.  T.  Connor, 

416  Reed  Street, 

Milwaukee,  Wisconsin. 
Dear  Sir: 

In  response  to  your  inquiry  we  take  pleasure  in  inclosing  copy 
of  our  Bulletin  No.  10  on  Wool.^  | 

On  page  one  of  this  bulletin  you  will  note  a  table  giving  the  wool 
prices  for  the  various  grades  on  |  the  basis  of  clean  scoured  delivered 
at  Chicago.^     This  does  not,  of  course,  give  you  a  definite  figure  for 


INFORMATION  ASKED   OR  GIVEN  21 

Style  I.  —  DOUBLE   SPACING    (SHORT   LETTER) 

Note  also  indented  address  and  paragraphs,  and  typed  signature. 


The  Thomas  B.  Jeffery  Company 

;    and    Works  -  Kei 

Jeffery 


Kairt    Office    and    Works  -  Kenosha,  Wis. 
CharlesTJetfery/Tesjaent  '  HW  Jeffery- v!c,/ves<ie. 


MOTOR  Cars 


Kenosha,  Wis. 


January  Tenth 
I      9      J.      8 


The  J.  L.  Uott  Compeuy, 
1921  Wabash  Avenue , 

Chicago,  Illinois. 

Gentlemen : 

The  arrangements  outlined  in 

your  letter  of  January  3  are  entirely 

satisfactory  to  us. 

He  look  forward  to  another  year 

Of  mutually  profitable  business 

relatione. 

Youre  very  truly, 

The  Thomas  B.  Jeffery  Company 


By  (jLo^-   ^  rh^^ 


Chas.  H.  Kannuffl 
AS 


Cable  Address    t'effcar.  Kenosha 


22  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

Wisconsin  |  wool  in  the  hands  of  the  farmers.  An  experienced  wool 
dealer,  however,  should  be  able,  by  careful  judgment,  to  make  |  a 
pretty  fair  estimate  of  the  grade  of  a  wool  chp  presented  to  him.  In 
the  vast  majority  of  cases  |  it  would  seem  advisable  simply  to  ship 
the  wool  to  Chicago,  as  recommended  in  the  bulletin,  and  take  the 
government's  |  grade  and  price  for  it.^ 

Yours  truly,     (127) 

1  Subject,  inclosure  2  Specific  reference  to  inclosure  to  answer  question  3  Further 
information 

6 

Secretary,  The  Springfield  Commercial  Club, 

Springfield,  Ohio. 
Dear  Sir: 

The  War  Chest  or  Community  Plan  of  raising  funds  for  war 
contributions  is  being  widely  adopted  in  Wisconsin.^  |  The  plan  origi- 
nated at  Kenosha  and  your  assumption  is  correct  that  it  deals  almost 
entirely  with  factory  employees.  It  is  |  certainly  restricted  to  the 
urban  population.^ 

The  modification  of  this  plan  which  has  been  perhaps  most  suc- 
cessful in  rural  communities  |  is  that  adopted  by  the  Rock  County 
Council  of  Defense.  The  Rock  County  plan  in  slightly  modified  form 
is  the  I  one  being  adopted  in  the  rural  counties  of  the  state.^ 

If  you  will  write  to  Mr.  Myron  Richardson,  Chairman  of  |  the 
County  Council  of  Defense,  or  Mr.  Thomas  Howe,  President  of  the 
Rock  County  War  Chest,  Janesville,  I  am  sure  |  they  will  both  be 
glad  to  give  you  detailed  information.^ 

Yours  truly,     (132) 

1  Subject,  answer  to  question  2  Answers  second  question.  Note  conciseness;  not  neces 
sary  to  repeat  preceding  letter    3  Further  information     4  Refers  for  further  information 

7 

Toledo  Scale  Company, 

Toledo,  Ohio. 
Gentlemen : 

We  are  using  a  Toledo  parcel  post  scale,  style  #771,  scale  #113557,  | 
in  our  mailing  department.^     Please  inform  us  if  you  have  a  new  set 
of  figures  I  prepared  for  this  scale  to  conform  to  the  recent  change  in 
parcel  post  rate.- 

Inclosed  is  stamped  envelope  for  your  |  convenience  in  reply .^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (66) 
1  Necessary  information     2  Subject     3  Makes  action  easy 


INFORMATION  ASKED    OR    GIVEN  23 

8 

Star  Pharmacy, 

Jersey  City,  New  Jersey. 
Gentlemen : 

We  have  received  your  inquiry  through  Mr.  Ross  with  regard 
to  the  handUng  of  explosives.^ 

Retail  druggists  are  required  |  to  keep  a  record  of  the  sales  of 
all  articles  listed,  by  the  Government  under  the  Explosive  Regulation. 
This  record  |  must  contain  the  date  of  the  purchase,  the  article,  its 
use,  and  the  name  of  the  purchaser.  It  is  to  |  be  similar  to  the  poisori 
record.  You  are  not  required  to  take  an  inventory  of  your  present 
stock  nor  to  |  make  any  statements  regarding  the  probable  amount 
needed  for  the  following  year.^ 

The  Government  places  the  responsibihty  of  the  sale  upon  |  the 
retail  druggist  and  you  should  restrict  your  sales  to  persons  who  you 
know  are  reliable,  and  satisfy  yourself  as  |  to  the  purpose  for  which 
the  goods  are  intended.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (132) 

1  Subject    2  Information    3  Advice  as  to  action 

9 

Reno  Mill  &  Lumber  Co., 

Second  Street,  cor.  N.  Virginia, 
Reno,  Nevada. 
Gentlemen : 

In  reply  to  your  letter  of  July  1  we  take  pleasure  in  inclosing  copy 
of  our  latest  instruction  book.^  | 

After  you  have  had  an  opportunity  to  study  these  instructions 
together  with  the  engine,  we  shall  be  glad  to  hear  |  from  you,  as  we 
are  anxious  to  know  that  our  engines  are  giving  the  very  best  service 
to  their  owners.-  | 

We  are  also  inclosing  copy  of  our  circular  which  iUustrates  and 
describes  the  latest  model  of  the  Farm  Pump  Engine.  |  If  you  so 
desire  we  can  arrange  to  send  you  one  of  our  latest  catalogues  which 
we  expect  to  receive  |  from  the  printers  in  about  two  weeks.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (no) 

1  Subject     2  Shows  desire  to  serve     3  Further  information 


24  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

ADJUSTMENTS 

In  handling  the  various  cases  o£  mistake,  delay,  damage, 
defect,  etc.,  the  correspondent  must  show  a  cordial  desire 
to  be  of  service,  and  an  ability  to  provide  a  constructive 
remedy  without  endangering  the  interests  of  his  house. 
Tact  and  courtesy  are  necessary.  When  dealing  with 
persons  not  in  business,  more  explanation  is  necessary. 
When  replying  to  angry  customers,  special  courtesy  must 
be  shown,  and  the  letter  should  not  begin  abruptly. 

INFORMATION  ASKED 

1 

Mr.  J.  H.  Barnes, 

Barnes  Furniture  Store, 
Albion,  Michigan. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  are  inclosing  ^  a  copy  of  a  letter  received  from  our  factory 
regarding  your  recent  order  for  repairs  |  on  a  chair.-  Please  send  us 
this  information  under  cover  of  the  inclosed  envelope  ^  in  order  that 
we  may  give  |  you  the  best  possible  service.^ 

Yours  very  truly ,^     (43) 

1  Reference  to  inclosure     2  Specific  subject     3  Makes  action  easy    4  Appeals  to  self-in- 
terest   5  Note  conciseness  in  this  and  following  letters 

2 

Mr.  George  Maher, 

Concord,  New  Hampshire. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  wrote  you  on  January  4,  explaining  that  we  had  packed  and 
were  holding  in  our  warehouse  an  |  order  for  a  barrel  of  crockery 
under  our  #121612  and  requested  that  |  you  let  us  know  at  once  the 
approximate  date  at  which  you  wish  this  to  go  forward.^  We  have 
had  I  no  reply  to  this  letter  and  fear  that  it  may  have  been  missent.^ 

We  wish  you  would  let  us  know  |  immediately,  under  cover  of 
the  inclosed  envelope,  the  time  you  wish  us  to  forward  this  order.^ 

Yours  truly,      (93) 

1  Repeats  unanswered  letter     2  Courteous  assumption,  avoids  blaming  reader     3  Request 
for  action  in  last  sentence 


INFORMATION    ASKED  25 

3 

Mr.  James  Nernson,  General  Agent, 

Wells  Fargo  &  Company  Express, 
Colmnbus,  Ohio. 
Dear  Sir:  attention  —  debit  transfer  desk 

After  careful  search  ^  we  have  been  unable  to  locate  -  the  copy 
of  a  receipt  |  asked  for  in  your  letter  of  May  8,^  covering  charges  on 
shipment  of  two  rims  from  the  Columbus  Welding  Manufacturing  | 
Company  to  the  Twin  City  Auto  Company,  IVlinneapoUs,  Minnesota. 
If  it  is  possible  for  you  to  furnish  us  with  the  |  date  of  the  Columbus 
Welding  Manufacturing  Company's  invoice  covering  this  shipment, 
we  shall  make  a  further  investigation,  and  it  may  |  be  possible  that 
we  can  locate  a  copy  of  the  receipt. 

Yours  very  truly,     (91) 

1  Shows  courteous  attention  to  request  2  Subject,  action  taken  3  This  indirect  reference 
to  preceding  letter  allows  subject  to  come  first.  Observe  the  good  types  of  first  sentences  in 
other  letters 

4 

Appalachian  Rubber  Works, 

319  West  Cumberland  Avenue, 
Knoxville,  Tennessee. 
Gentlemen : 

We  are  going  to  do  our  best  to  help  you  ^  get  service  out  of  your 
engine,  so  that  it  j  A,vill  again  give  you  as  good  service  as  you  report 
it  did  during  the  first  two  years  of  operation.- 

If  I  you  will  be  kind  enough  ^  to  give  us  by  return  mail  the  fac- 
tory number  as  given  on  the  name  plate  |  we  shall  then  be  in  position 
to  write  you  fully  and  in  all  probability^  offer  suggestions  which,  if 
followed,  will  |  correct  the  difficulty  you  have  experienced. 

Very  truly  yours,     (89) 

1  Subject,  intention  to  help,  though  specific  suggestion  cannot  be  given  2  Positive,  not 
negative    3  Courtesy    4  Avoids  dangerous  promises 

5 

Cross  &  Linehan  Co., 

234  Fayette\'ille  Street, 

Raleigh,  North  Carohna. 
Gentlemen : 

We  are  going  to  do  our  best  to  give  you  proper  ^  credit  for  the 
merchandise  reported  short  in  your  |  letter  of  January  4,  though  this 
will  be  a  httle  difficult  as  you  cannot  locate  your  invoice  covering  our 


26  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

shipment.  |  If  you  will  tell  us  the  date  on  which  this  merchandise 
was  delivered  to  you,  as  nearly  as  you  can  |  tell  from  your  record, 
we  will  look  up  our  own  invoice  of  the  original  shipment  and  try  to 
locate  the  |  matter  in  that  way. 

Please  use  the  inclosed  stamped  envelope  and  let  us  have  your 
reply  by  return  mail,  so  |  that  you  can  receive  the  credit  to  which 
you  are  en  titled. ^ 

Yours  very  truly,      (114) 
1  Avoids  dangerous  promise    2  Appeals  to  self-interest  to  secure  action 

DELAY 

1 

Jackson  &  Walters, 

247  State  Street, 

Albany,  New  York. 
Gentlemen : 

The  P3840  Mattress  referred  to  in  your  letter  of  January  14 
was  shipped  ^  on  |  the  same  date  you  wrote  tliis  letter,  and  has  no 
doubt  been  delivered  to  you  since  writing.^  If  it  is  |  not  in  your  posses- 
sion, inform  us  and  we  will  institute  the  necessary  trace. 

Yours  very  truly,     (56) 

1  Subject,  action  taken.  This  is  what  the  reader  wants  to  hear  first  2  Preferable  to  the 
wordy  type  of  sentence,  "Your  esteemed  favor  of  the  i-Jth  inst.  received  — "  etc. 

2 

Lamar  &  Rankin, 

69-71  Forsythe  Street, 
Atlanta,  Georgia. 
Gentlemen: 

The  merchandise  which  you  write  us  ^  has  not  been  received  was 
ordered  shipped  direct  from  our  factory.  We  believe  |  shipment  has 
been  made,  but  as  we  have  received  no  definite  record  of  the  date,  we 
are  writing  the  factory  |  for  this  information. 

As  soon  as  we  receive  a  reply  we  will  write  you  again,  and  in 
the  meantime  if  |  we  find  that  shipment  has  not  been  made,  we  will 
make  every  effort  to  hasten  delivery. 

You  will  not  need  |  to  write  us  ^  when  you  receive  the  goods  as 
we  shall  be  notified  by  the  factory  that  shipment  has  been  |  made. 

Yours  truly,     (io3) 

1  A  form  letter.  Date  of  preceding  letter  and  name  of  merchandise  typed  below  2  Courte- 
ously saves  customer's  effort 


DELAY  27 

3 

Miss  Louise  Legay, 

Harvard,  Illinois. 
Dear  Madam: 

Permit  me  to  inform  you  that  no  payment  on  your  order  ^  for  the 
stove  #568E2961  |  need  be  sent  to  us  until  thirty  days  after  the  order 
is  I  dehvered. 

Our  factory  has  been  unavoidably  delayed  in  the  manufacture 
of  the  particular  stove  you  selected;  otherwise  shipment  would  have  | 
been  in  your  possession  before  this  date. 

A  letter  is  being  written  to  the  factory  superintendent,  to-day 
with  instructions  to  |  give  your  order  special  attention  and  rush  ship- 
ment as  soon  as  possible.  The  order,  no  doubt,  will  be  in  your  |  pos- 
session within  a  very  short  time  now  and  I  assure  you  your  patience 
will  be  fully  appreciated. 

I  can  readily  |  appreciate  that  when  you  placed  your  order  with 
us  you  expected  to  have  it  shipped  without  delay .^    We  fully  expected  | 
to  be  able  to  do  this,  but  as  hereinbefore  mentioned  unforeseen  ob- 
stacles have  made  this  impossible. 

In  case  you  are  j  again  asked  to  make  a  payment  before  the 
stove  reaches  you,^  I  suggest  that  you  merely  call  our  attention  to  | 
this  letter  or,  better  still,  acquaint  me  with  the  fact  on  the  opposite 
side.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (lO") 

1  Subject,  first.     Long  reply  shows  courteous  attention  to  angry  customer     2  Customer 
angered  by  delay  and  by    3  requests  to  pay    4  Makes  action  easy 

4 

I\Ir.  Philip  Mitchell, 

Baker,  Iowa. 
Dear  Sir: 

I  ^  find  on  investigation  that  your  wishes  relative  to  the  suit 
you  returned  were  given  our  attention  -  on  |  December  26,  the  order 
ha\7ng  been  sent  to  the  department  to  be  filled  on  that  date. 

I  have  no  |  doubt  that  the  shipment  w*ill  be  in  your  possession, 
by  the  time  this  letter  reaches  you,  or  very  shortly  thereafter.  |  If 
everything  is  now  all  right  an  answer  will  not  be  necessary. 

If  the  suit  sent  you  originally  was  not  |  the  proper  size,  you  did 
perfectly  right  when  you  sent  it  back  to  us. 

^^  ishing  you  a  Happy  and  Prosperous  |  New  Year,  I  am 

Very  truly  yours,      (107) 
1  Personal   attention   of  superior  officer  in  serious   case     2   Subject   first. 


28  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION   EXERCISES 

5 

Lines  Brothers  &  Company, 

Pima,  Arizona. 
Gentlemen : 

Yom"  order  was  shipped  promptly  ^  by  parcel  post  as  requested, 
but  we  have  just  received  notice  from  the  postal  |  authorities  that 
the  package  is  being  held  on  account  of  its  having  been  incorrectly 
addressed. 2 

Instructions  have  been  given  to  |  have  the  package  forwarded 
to  you  and  you  should  receive  it  in  the  very  near  future. 

Yours  truly,     (58) 

1  Positive  element  emphasized     2  Avoids  unnecessary  emphasis  on  "our  error,"  which  more- 
over is  already  remedied 

6 

Mr.  James  ConneU, 

45  Drake  Street, 

St.  Paul,  Minnesota. 
Dear  Sir: 

The  part  of  your  order  shown  above  has  just  been  located  at 
the  railroad  station  in  Chicago  and  |  has  been  forwarded  to  you.^ 
This  part  was  left  off  the  original  shipment,  either  through  our  error 
or  the  fault  |  of  the  railroad  company  -  —  we  are  unable  to  determine 
which,  but  it  has  just  been  sent  and  will,  of  course,  |  reach  you  at  a 
different  time  from  the  rest  of  your  goods. 

Please  allow  a  reasonable  length  of  time  ^  for  |  this  last  ship- 
ment to  reach  you,  and  when  it  does  arrive,  we  believe  your  entire 
order  wiU  check  up  correctly.  | 

If  you  find  anything  wrong,  write  us,  returning  this  letter  with 
your  invoice  and  freight  bill,^  and  we  will  check  |  the  matter  up  at 
once. 

We  are  very  sorry  for  this  mistake.^ 

Yours  truly,     (134) 

1  Action  first     2  Explanation  of  trouble     3  Prevents  needless  writing     4  Insures  sending 
data     5  Regret 

7 

Mrs.  L.  P.  Donovan, 

Dover,  Delaware. 
Dear  Madam: 

I  find  the  rest  of  your  order  was  not  shipped  to  you  at  an  earlier 
date  because  of  |  the  fact  that  your  instructions  were  lost.^ 

The  information  you  have  given  in   your  letter  of  January  4 


DELAY  29 

enabled  us  |  to  enter  the  rest  of  your  order  to-day.^     The  shipment 
will  go  forward  to  you  under  invoice  B315673B.  | 

I  am  very  sorry  there  was  any  delay  in  this  matter  and  |  assure 
you  it  has  not  been  intentional  on  our  part. 

You  should  not  have  had  to  write  us  three  letters  |  relative  to 
your  order.  Evidently  our  records  were  somewhat  confused.  I  hope 
you  will  not  conclude  your  experience  is  typical  |  of  our  service. 

Much  better  success  is  expected  with  your  future  orders.  I 
shall  look  for  an  opportunity  to  demonstrate  |  this  behef  at  an  early 
date.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (U9) 

1  Subject,  reply  to  inquiry    2  Positive  action;  thanks  customer  for   aid    3  Smooths  down 
ruffled  feelings;   suggests  future  orders 


8 

Mr.  Lv  A.  Tryett, 

Macon,  Georgia. 
Dear  Sir: 

I  am  in  receipt  of  a  letter  from  our  New  York  House  relative 
to  an  order  you  placed  |  with  them  early  in  December,  the  amount  of 
your  original  remittance  being  $150.00  and  the  merchandise  covered  | 
by  the  balance  amounting  to  $102.71.^ 

The  only  records  I  am  able  to  |  locate  at  this  time  covering  any 
part  of  the  order  which  was  transferred  to  us  from  New  York  are  for  | 
a  rug  which  was  shipped  to  yoii  about   December   24,  under  invoice 
CO44780.2  I 

Now,  Mr.  Tryett,  if  everything  is  not  satisfactory  by  the  time 
this  letter  reaches  you,  I  want  you  to  |  know  that  I  am  more  than 
anxious  to  be  of  service  to  you.^ 

Should  this  be  the  case,  kindly  write  |  me  on  the  opposite  side 
of  this  letter,  gi\4ng  me  as  nearly  as  possible  a  complete  copy  of  the 
original  |  order.  If  you  received  any  invoices,  send  them  to  me  also 
so  that  the  matter  can  be  given  prompt  attention  |  . 

In  connection  with  this  fact  I  would  ask  you  to  take  into  con- 
sideration the  unusual  traffic  conditions  existing  in  this  |  country  at 
the  present  time,  with  which  you  are  no  doubt  more  or  less  familiar. 

Very  truly  yours,     (218) 

1  Necessary  to  repeat  subject  of  preceding  letter     2  Real  subject  of  letter    3  Cordial  offer 
of  service  to  angry  customer 


30  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 


Kelly  Thornsen  &  Co., 

54  Union  Avenue, 

Portland,  Oregon. 
Gentlemen : 

A  check  amounting  to  $58.75  was  issued  to  your  order  ^  on 
November  22  |  and  no  doubt  reached  you  just  about  the  time  you 
addressed  your  letter  of  the  26th  to  me.-  |  I  believe  tliis  covers  the 
situation  you  reported.  No  doubt  there  was,  accompanying  this  check, 
a  letter  explaining  your  position  |  in  the  matter. 

I  regret  the  delay  in  taking  care  of  this  order  properly  and  assure 
you  a  case  of  |  this  kind  is  the  exception  here  and  not  the  rule. 

Accept  my  apology  for  disappointing  you.^ 

Thank  you  for  writing  |  me. 

Very  truly  yours,     (104) 

1  Subject  first     2  Indirect  reference  to  preceding  letter    3  Apology  to  angry  customer 


10 

Mrs.  Robert  Laver, 

New  Rritain,  Connecticut. 
Dear  Madam: 

This  is  supplementary  to  my  letter  of  January  11. ^ 

Your  grocery  order  was  shipped  January  14  via  the  |  Burling- 
ton.2  As  traffic  conditions  are  rather  bad  at  present,  it  may  be  some 
time  before  the  order  arrives.  However,  I  |  trust  it  reaches  you 
soon  in  good  condition. 

On  that  order  we  gave  you  a  credit  of  only  $14.44  j  instead  of 
$14.53,  so  I  am  inclosing  nine  cents  in  stamps.^  | 

The  account  of  $3.05,  invoice  C024375,  has  been  |  closed  and 
according  to  my  figures  our  accounts  are  now  balanced. 

While  I  regret  this  Uttle  misunderstanding,^  I  want  to  |  thank 
you  for  your  co-operation  in  getting  things  straightened  out. 

Very  truly  yours,     (133) 

1  Reference  to  writer's  preceding  letter     2  Subject     3  Separate  paragraph  for  new  topic 
4  Informal,  cheerful  language  to  angry  customer 


DELAY  31 

11 

Virginia  Machinery  &  Well  Co., 

Richmond,  Virginia. 
Gentlemen : 

We  are  just  in  receipt  of  your  order  #2154,  calling  for  shipment 
of  I  one  J98-C  and  one  J97-C;  also  one  Farm  Pump  Engine  com- 
plete, these  to  be  |  shipped  to  E.  A.  Stark  at  Lee,  Virginia.^ 

We  have  entered  order  for  shipment  of  parts  to  go  forward 
promptly.  |  The  engine  will  not  go  forward  for  about  a  week  or  ten 
days,  as  we  are  very  much  behind  with  |  our  shipments,  owing  to 
the  flood  of  orders  which  have  been  coming  in  of  late.^ 

Thank  you  for  the  above  order.^  | 

Very  truly  yours,     (103) 

1  Acknowledges  order     2  Gives  shipping  arrangement    3  Courteous  conclusion 

12 

Strevell-Paterson  Hardware  Co., 

126  S.  West  Temple  Street, 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah, 
Gentlemen : 

Permit  me  to  inform  you  that  your  order  for  the  kitchen  cabi- 
net #266P300  I  was  ordered  from  our  factory  January  25  ^  with  in- 
structions to  make  prompt  shipment. 

I  trust  you  wiU  take  |  into  consideration  the  fact,  however,  that 
shipments  are  mo\'ing  more  slowly  than  usual  owing  to  the  unusual 
weather  conditions.  The  |  hea\^  shipment  of  war  mimitions  also  has 
had  a  great  deal  to  do  with  causing  delay  in  making  dehveries.- 

No  I  doubt,  however,  you  are  familiar  with  all  these  conditions, 
gentlemen,  and  I  am  sure  ^  you  wiU  take  them  into  consideration  | 
when  you  figure  on  the  delivery  of  your  order. 

Very  truly  yours,     (112) 

1  Subject    2  Guards  against  further  dissatisfaction    3  Appeals  to  reason  and  good  will; 
positive 

13 

Mr.  Thos.  D.  O'NeH, 

Eighth  Avenue  and  Nevada, 
Seattle,  Washington. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  have  been  doing  our  utmost  to  make  good  on  our  promise 


32  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION   EXERCISES 

to  ship  your  lathe  August  10,  j  but  we  fear  there  will  be  a  slight  delay, i 
much  as  we  regret  it. 

You  doubtless  know  2  that  there  is  |  great  difficulty  in  getting 
materials  just  now.  The  mills  and  foundries  are  rushed  past  their 
capacity.  The  result  is  that  |  the  completion  of  your  lathe  and  several 
others  has  been  delayed  for  lack  of  certain  parts. 

We  are  writing  to  |  you  at  this  time  to  assure  you  of  our  regret 
that  we  shall  be  unable  to  make  the  delivery  promised,  |  and  also  to 
let  you  know  the  delay  is  due  to  no  lack  of  attention  on  our  part,^  for 
we  1  arre  following  up  this  job  daily,  and  you  may  rest  assured  no  time 
will  be  lost  in  its  completion.'* 

Very  |  truly  yours,     (142) 

1  Subject    2  Appeals  to  reason  and  good  will     3  Letter  gains  good  will  by  anticipating  com- 
plaint   4  Positive  conclusion 

14 

Mr.  E.  F.  Freeman, 

Lawton,  Oklahoma. 
Dear  Sir: 

The  order  which  you  sent  us  on  January  15  was  received  on 
January  19,  but  due  to  the  |  government  embargo,^  shipment  did  not 
leave  Chicago  until  February  15.  On  that  date  the  goods  went  for- 
ward via  the  Pan  |  Handle  Railroad  under  invoice  number  477389. 
This  order  should  reach  you  very  |  shortly. 

You  are  no  doubt  familiar  ^  with  conditions  confronting  the 
railroads  at  the  present  time.  Due  to  the  enormous  amount  |  of  war 
supplies  consigned  to  the  eastern  seaboard  for  shipment  abroad,  there 
is  an  acute  shortage  of  cars  for  the  |  handhng  of  general  merchandise. 
As  this  condition  became  grave  during  the  early  part  of  January,  the 
Government  Railroad  Administration  was  |  compelled  to  place  an 
embargo  on  practically  all  shipments  consigned  to  points  east  of  Chi- 
cago. This  was  done  to  relieve  |  the  freight  congestion  and  also  to 
permit  the  railroads  to  dispose  of  the  large  number  of  shipments  which 
had  accumulated  |  on  their  hands  because  of  this.  This  embargo  has 
just  recently  been  lifted  and  upon  our  being  notified  to  that  |  effect 
by  the  railroads,  your  order  was  immediately  put  through  for  shipment. 

I  am  indeed  sorry  for  the  delay  which  |  you  have  experienced  in 
connection  with  this  order,  but  in  view  of  my  explanation  I  am  con- 
fident 2  that  you  will  |  realize  that  this  was  caused  by  a  situation  over 
which  we  have  no  control. 

Yours  very  truly,     (237) 
1  Explains  delay  before  announcing  it    2  Appeals  to  reason  and  good  will. 


RETURN    AND    ALLOWANCE  33 

15 

Watts  Furniture  Co., 

54  Clarke  Street, 

Chicago,  Illinois. 
Gentlemen : 

We  are  just  in  receipt  ^  of  your  wire  asking  us  if  we  had  made 
shipment  on  the  Dining  Room  |  Suite  ordered  by  you  some  time  ago. 
We  have  searched  our  records  and  are  unable  to  find  an  order  placed  | 
with  us  and  have  therefore  answered  your  wire  according  to  the  at- 
tached copy  .2 

We  are  imable  to  account  for  the  |  fact  that  this  order  has  not 
reached  us  and  hope  that  it  will  be  possible  for  you  ^  to  send  us  |  a 
confirmation  immediately.  You  may  rest  assured  that  on  receipt  of 
this  confirmation  prompt  action  will  be  taken. 

It  is  I  also  our  suggestion  that  you  send  us  a  copy  of  the  tele- 
gram you  placed  with  your  telegraph  agent  so  that  |  we  can  take  the 
matter  up  at  this  end  and  find  out  why  it  was  that  this  telegram  was 
not  I  delivered.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (144) 

1  Shows   prompt   attention   to   complaint    2  Illustrates   one   way   of   handling   telegrams 
3  Com-teous  manner  of  asking  definite  order     4  Shows  willingness  to  serve 


RETURN  AND  ALLOWANCE 

1 

James  T.  Mullin  &  Sons, 

Cor.  Sixth  and  Market  Streets, 
Wilmington,  Delaware. 
Gentlemen : 

The  1  only  knit  set  you  returned  has  been  received.^  Just 
as  soon  as  this  $1.12  |  credit  is  posted  on  our  books,  there  will  be  a 
credit  balance  in  your  favor  of  $1.23.-  |  This  amount  can  be  appUed 
on  your  next  order  or  we  will  send  you  a  check  for  |  the  amount,  as 
you  may  desire.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (69) 

1  Subject    2  Gives  complete  data    3  Courteously  suggests  choice 


34  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

2 

George  H.  Raymond  &  Son, 

Vicksburg,  Mississippi. 
Gentlemen : 

When  we  receive  the  ^  crochet  hooks  you  are  returning  we  will 
credit  your  account  -  with  $2.15.  |  This  will  be  the  same  amount  as 
we  charged  you  for  the  knitting  needles.^ 

Yours  very  truly,      (38) 

1  Avoids  dangerous  promise    2  Subject    3  Gives  complete  data 

3 

Bennell  &  Cantol, 

29  East  Carry  Avenue, 

Poughkeepsie,  New  York. 
Gentlemen : 

We  have  received  the  returned  invoice  for  1  only  bed  No. 
IP  5086  which  we  |  delivered  to  you  on  June  29.^ 

Upon  investigation  we  find  your  order  was  received  on  June  21. 
Owing  I  to  our  stock  being  temporarily  exhausted  on  the  above  num- 
ber there  was  a  sHght  delay  occasioned  in  filling  your  order.^  |  Rather 
than  go  to  the  trouble  of  issuing  a  wagon  call  we  offer  you  an  allow- 
ance of  $1.00  to  I  retain  the  bed.^ 

Please  let  us  know  whether  this  meets  your  wishes.^  Upon  re- 
ceipt of  your  reply  we  shall  be  |  pleased  to  make  the  proper  adjustment. 

Yours  very  truly,     (109) 

1  Subject    2  Explains  delay    3  Offers  adjustment    4  Courteous  phr.'se 

CANCELLATION  AND  CORRECTION 

1 

Savage,  and  Duncan, 

14  North  Stone  Avenue, 
Tucson,  Arizona. 
Gentlemen : 

We  regret  ^  we  received  your  card  of  May  15  too  late  to  cancel 
your  order  ^  for  twenty  pounds  of  I  Glycerine  and  one  box  of  Blue  Seal 
Vasehne  on  your  order  given  Mr.  Wright.  The  goods  were  forwarded 
to  you  I  yesterday. 

Yours  very  truly,     (44) 

1  Courteous  regret;   no  apology  needed     2  Subject 


CANCELLATION  AND   CORRECTION  35 

2 

The  F.  A.  Sherman  Co., 

22  Grand  Street, 

Albany,  New  York. 
Gentlemen : 

Your  telegram  of  May  16  has  been  received.^  We  have  written 
our  factory  instructing  them  to  cancel  your  order  |  for  1  only  Steel 
Range  H-8592. 

We  can  assure  you  they  will  comply  -  with  |  your  request  unless 
shipment  has  already  gone  forward.^  We  will  inform  you  what  dis- 
position was  made  as  soon  as  we  |  hear  from  them.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (66) 

1  A  satisfactory  type  of  reference.    Compare  the  indirect  manner    2  Positive  arrangement; 
better  than  placing    3   last   clause  first     4  Avoids  dangerous  promise 

3 

Emery,  Bird,  Thayer  Co., 

Eleventh,  Walnut,  and  Grand  Avenue, 
Kansas  City,  Missouri. 
Gentlemen : 

Immediately  upon  receiving  ^  your  card  of  January  11  we  en- 
deavored to  locate  your  order  sent  us  a  short  time  |  before,  that  we 
might  make  the  correction  as  requested. 

We  regret  to  tell  you  that  as  this  order  has  already  |  gone  for- 
ward for  filUng  and  shipment,  we  were  unable  to  catch  it  in  order  to 
fulfill  your  wishes,^  but  we  |  trust  that  it  will  be  satisfactorily  taken 
care  of  under  your  original  instructions.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (76) 

1  Shows  prompt  action;   subject    2  Note  courteous  phrase    3  Courteously  disclaims  respon- 
sibility and  reminds  customer  of  service  given 

4 

A.  M.  Crook  &  Son,  Inc., 

Broad  and  Center  Streets, 
Trenton,  New  Jersey. 
Gentlemen: 

If  we  could  locate  your  order,  we  should  gladly  follow  your 
additional  instructions,^  but  to  make  prompt  shipment  of  |  all  orders  - 
we  have  so  arranged  our  system  that  this  is  impossible.  Each  order, 
as  received,  is  marked  with  the  |  exact  hour   on  which  it  must  be 


36  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

shipped,  and  is  sent  at  once  to  the  proper  merchandise  departments, 
but  to  I  avoid  delay  no  record  is  kept  of  the  exact  location  of  each 
one.  Our  permanent  record  of  the  transaction  is  |  completed  and 
filed  after  the  order  has  been  shipped.^ 

As  your  order  now  stands  we  are  handhng  it  as  though  |  your 
last  letter  had  not  been  received.  Therefore,  if  you  find  upon  receipt 
of  the  shipment  that  the  handUng  of  |  this  transaction  is  not  satis- 
factory,^  be  sure  to  write  us  fully,  using  the  back  of  this  letter  and 
returning  our  |  invoice  if  you  receive  one. 

Yours  truly,     (U7) 

1  Shows  willingness  to  serve  2  Shows  action  is  in  customer's  interest  3  Explanation  for 
customers  unacquainted  with  business  4  Practically  a  suggestion  that  the  customer  accept 
the  goods  rather  than  take  further  trouble 


OUT  OF  STOCK 

1 

Mrs.  L.  S.  GiUan, 

275  South  Mellay  Street, 
Chicago,  lUinois. 
Dear  Madam: 

We  are  forwarding  to-day  ^  the  materials  ordered  in  your  letter 
of  March  5,  sending  the  gingham  in  two  |  lengths,  8j  and  3  yards,  11 1, 
which  we  charged  as  11  yards.-    This  is  j  all  we  have  in  stock.^ 

Thank  you  for  your  order;  we  are  sure  you  will  Uke  these  dress 
goods. 

Very  |  truly  yours,     (62) 

1  Action    2  Data    3  Explanation;   no  apology  needed 

2 

Hamhn  &  Morrison, 

119  South  Fourth  Street, 

Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania. 
Gentlemen : 

We  inclose  oiu"  credit  memorandum  ^  to  cover  the  shortage  of 

1  only  —  500  bottle  Bayer  Asperin  tablets  ~ 
Our  I  stock  on  some  of  the  numbers  of  B.  Q.  Chocolates  in  five- 
pound  boxes  is  exhausted.^     We  have  a  large  |  shipment  on  the  way, 
however,  which  we  expect  to  receive  in  a  very  short  time.     We  are 


OUT  OF  STOCK  37 

holding  a  back  |  order  for  five  pounds  of  Star  Chocolate  Super  Creams 
and  live  pounds  of  Star  Milk  Frappe  for  shipment  with  your  |  first 
order  after  the  arrival  of  our  stock. ^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (9i) 

1  Action  2  Item  tabulated  3  Second  subject  4  Statement  of  future  action  in  last  sen- 
tence 

3 

E.  L.  Spencer  Company, 

95  Chestnut  Street, 

Providence,  Rhode  Island. 
Gentlemen : 

In  answer  to  your  letter  of  January  we  are  sorry  to  say  that 
all  the  items  that  you  did  |  not  receive  in  your  order  #1214  have  been 
permanently  dropped  from  stock. ^  As  we  were  |  not  able  to  supply 
suitable  substitutes,^  we  omitted  the  items  entirely. 

We  hope  you  will  be  able  to  refer  to  |  our  catalogue  ^  and  select 
items  which  will  serve  your  purpose  as  well. 

Yours  very  truly,     (75) 

1  Subject;  note  concise  sentence  and  indirect  reference  to  date  2  Shows  desire  to  serve 
3  Sales  suggestion;   positive  ending 

4 

Mr.  John  Franzen, 

2562  West  Congress  Street, 
Ithaca,  New  York. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  have  received  yoiu*  order  for  books  of  design  Nos.  1,  2,  3, 
and  1.  Before  sending  them  |  we  thought  best  to  inquire  if  you  were 
sure  these  are  the  books  you  want.^ 

We  tliink  you  have  the  }  numbers  confused,  as  we  do  not  manu- 
facture Anchor  Blocks  No.  2;  in  fact  we  have  not  sold  any  for  several  | 
years.- 

Inclosed  you  will  find  a  price  list  of  the  various  sets  of  Anchor 
Blocks.  You  will  be  able  to  |  compare  these  prices  with  what  you 
paid  for  your  set  and  so  determine  which  set  of  blocks  you  have.  Be- 
low I  we  give  you  the  prices  for  the  different  books  of  designs.^ 

As  soon  as  we  know  which  set  of  blocks  |  you  have,  we  shall 
be  glad  to  send  you  the  books  for  it.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (136) 

1  Shows  desire  to  serve  2  Explains  non-shipment  3  Gives  complete  directions  4  Posi- 
tive ending 


38  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

5 

Howe  &  Norton, 

737  South  Wabash  Avenue, 
Chicago,  lUinois. 
Gentlemen : 

We  regret  exceedingly  that  we  are  unable  to  furnish  you  ^  with 
A-2387  Waist  |  size  44  as  we  now  find  it  impossible  to  obtain  a  further 
supply  of  this  number. 

If  you  will  I  consult  our  current  catalogue  you  will  find  many 
attractive  styles  from  which  you  can  select  a  suitable  substitute  and 
your  I  re-order  will  be  given  our  best  attention.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (70) 
1  Subject;  note  courteous  regret    2  Sales  suggestion 


6 

Popular  Dry  Goods  Co., 

Mesa  Avenue  &  San  Antonio, 
El  Paso,  Texas. 
Gentlemen : 

We  have  your  order  #1151361.  We  have  discontinued  |  D-7446 
Gloves,  and  D-5126  Overalls  are  out  of  |  stock  and  arrival  of  goods 
indefinite.^  A-8525  trousers  and  A-8451  |  trousers  are  out  of  stock 
at  the  present  time,  but  we  are  holding  the  order  for  these  two  |  items 
and  shall  endeavor  to  release  them  for  shipment  just  as  soon  as  possible. 

We  assure  you  the  order  is  |  receiving  our  best  attention. 

Yours  very  truly,     (107) 

1  Compare  formal  language  with  preceding  letter.    This  is  not  incorrect,  however 


7 
Mr.  E.  R*.  Haase, 

27  Franklin  Street, 

Lowell,  Massachusetts. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  have  omitted  from  your  order  #114900  an  item  for  D-7627  | 
2  only  Table  Cloths  $1.75.^     Present  conditions  have  made  it  |  neces- 
sary to  quote  this  item  at  $2.25,  and  before  shipping  we  thought  it 


OUT  OF  STOCK  39 

best  to  advise  |  you  concerning  this  and  ask  for  your  instructions  in 
regard  to  it.^ 

For  your  convenience  we  are  inclosing  an  order  |  blank  with  the 
article  at  the  present  price  so  that  you  may  include  other  items  in  the 
re-order.^ 

We  assure  |  you  that  this  will  receive  our  prompt  and  sincere 
attention. 

Yours  very  truly,     (113) 

1  Subject    2  Shows  action  is  in  customer's  interest     3  Suggests  additional  purchases;   will 
save  freight 

8 

Byrum  Hardware  Co., 

220  Brown-IVIarx  Bldg., 

Birmingham,  Alabama. 
Gentlemen: 

We  have  just  heard  from  the  factory  that  they  could  not  supply 
you  with  a  wheelbarrow  tray  such  as  |  you  specify  in  your  order  #4676. 

If  you  could  use  a  tray  which  is  |  29"  x  36"  and  made  of  1 4-gauge 
material,  the  factory  can  make  immediate  shipment. 

Kindly  |  let  us  hear  from  you  so  that  we  can  fill  your  needs  at 
once. 

Yours  very  truly,     (77) 

9 

Mrs.  V.  D.  Packman, 

1018  Chfford  Street, 

Minneapolis,  IVIinnesota. 
Dear  IVIadam: 

Your  order  has  just  been  received  and  we  thank  you  for  it.^ 

We  regret  to  state  that  the  |  goods  ordered  are  temporarily  out 
of  stock,  but  we  expect  to  have  a  new  supply  in  about  two  weeks. 
Therefore,  |  we  are  returning  your  order  and  remittance.- 

Every  possible  means  is  used  always  to  keep  a  Uberal  supply 
of  all  I  our  merchandise  on  hand,  but  we  are  unable  to  prevent  occa- 
sional delay  caused  by  the  manufacturers,  or  in  transit.^ 

However,  |  we  hope  you  will  re-order  these  goods  ^  and  you 
may  be  sure  of  the  new  order  ha\-ing  our  careful  and  |  prompt  attention. 

Yours  truly,     (104) 

1  Thanks  for  order    2  Explains  action  taken    3  Further  explanation     4  Sales  suggestion 


40  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

10 

Jones  &  Stroud, 

1  South  Fourth  Street, 
Denver,  Colorado. 
Gentlemen : 

You  will  be  glad  to  know  ^  that  your  order  of  IVIay  6  calling  for 
one  (1)  piece  8"  x  24"  |  White  Middle  Soling  will  be  shipped  to-day.^ 

The  Grade  specified  was  600-k-3  which  we  |  are  selling  at  19  (^ 
per  square  foot  in  the  3  iron  weight.  It  so  happens,  however,  that 
this  grade  |  has  not  been  quite  as  popular  as  Grade  601-k-9  for  which 
in  3  iron  weight,  we  |  get  15 1^  per  square  foot.  In  view  of  this  we 
happen  to  be  running  an  order  |  for  601-k-9,  and  —  rather  than  delay 
your  order,  and  make  a  special  run  for  this  small  |  sample  —  we  are 
forwarding  you  thist  grade.^ 

Undoubtedly  you  will  reachly  appreciate  the  spirit  which 
prompted  this  change,  and  we  |  feel  confident  that  the  goods  will  be 
equally  satisfactory.^  You  will  let  us  know  in  short  time  regarding 
your  opinion  |  of  our  product,  won't  you.»^  ^ 

Yours  very  truly,      (i68) 

1  Courtesy     2  Action     3  Explains  substitution     4  Positive  appeal     5  Sales  suggestion 

11 

Mr.  R.  S.  Spencer, 

Advance,  South  Dakota. 
De£u-  Sir: 

We  regret  to  say  ^  that  we  cannot  fill  your  telegraphic  order  ^ 
of  April  14  caUing  for  express  shipment  |  of 

2  only  380  Colt's  automatic  pistols 
1/10  of  a  M.  cartridges 
2  holsters  ^ 
Our  stock  is  |  exhausted. 

We  have  been  informed  by  the  Colt  Manufacturing  Company 
that  they  have  a  shipment  on  the  way  to  us,  |  but  at  this  time  we 
cannot  say  what  it  contains.  As  we  do  not  expect  to  receive  this 
shipment  much  |  before  the  end  of  the  week,  may  we  ask,  if  you  are 
still  in  need,  that  yoii  kindly  re-order  at  |  that  time.^^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (lOj) 

1  Courtesy    2  Subject    3  Items  tabulated     4  Fjirther  information  and  sales  suggestion 


OUT  OF  STOCK  41 

12 

Mr.  Hamilton  Byers, 

Alden,  Maine. 
Dear  Sir: 

Through  Mr.  Gage  you  ordered  a  few  days  ago  i  of  a  dozen 
Hercules  Junior  spark  plugs  |  for  1916  Dodge  car.^  We  are,  unfortu- 
nately, out  of  these  at  the  present  time  ^  but  expect  another  supply  in  | 
about  a  week  or  ten  days.  We  are,  therefore,  taking  the  liberty  of 
holding  your  order  until  the  new  stock  |  arrives,  when  it  will  ha^  e 
attention  in  its  turn.^ 

We  regret  the  necessity  of  this  action  and  trust  the  delay  |  will 
cause  you  no  serious  inconvenience.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (89) 

1  Reference  to  order    2  Subject    3  Action     4  Courtesy 

13 

E.  J.  Codd  Company, 

700  Caroline  Street, 

Baltimore,  Maryland. 
Gentlemen : 

We  have  your  request  of  September  4  for  prices  on  cheese  box 
tin  ^  but  we  are  very  sorry  indeed  |  to  be  obhged  to  say  that  we  have 
none  in  stock  of  any  size  or  weight  whatever,-  and  we  cannot  |  say 
when  we  shall  be  able  to  secure  a  supply,  on  account  of  the  unprece- 
dented shortage  of  production.  The  manufacturers  |  will  make  no 
promises  whatever. 

We  regret  our  inability  to  be  of  service  to  you  in  this  instance, 
and  hope  |  you  may  be  able  to  supply  your  wants  by  finding  some  one 
who  is  fortunate  enough  to  have  a  small  |  stock.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (104) 

1  Reference  to  order    2  Subject     3  Courteous  desire  to  serve 

14 

Mr.  Peter  Sherman, 

Quincy,  Illinois. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  have  returned  to  you  by  parcel  post  a  sample  mortise  lock 
sent  us  a  few  days  ago  |  in  connection  with  Mr.  Terry's  order  for  one 
half  dozen  "hke  sample."  ^ 

The  R  &  E  Company  informs  us  that  |  this  lock  is  one  that  has 


42  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

been  discontinued  and  the  nearest  they  can  now  supply  is  their  #384  | 
which  will  require  new  escutcheons  and  strike  plates;    the  face  plate 
or  front  edge  of  this  lock  is  |  also  larger  than  your  sample.- 

If  you  think  this  substitute  lock  wiU  answer  your  purpose,  kindly 
re-order,  telling  us  what  |  kind  and  finish  of  escutcheons  you  want 
with  them.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (112) 

1  Subject,  return  of  sample    2  Explanation     3  Suggests  action 


15 

Magil-Nevin  Plumbing  &  Heating  Co., 

14  North  Main  Street, 
Butte,  Montana. 
Gentlemen: 

From  your  order  #3478  through  ]\Ir.  Jackson  we  are  obliged  to 
omit  ^  two  I  dozen  packages  1-P  steel  wool  on  account  of  the  specifi- 
cation which  hmits  us  to  a  price  of  80  cents.-  | 

We  cannot,  we  are  sorry  to  say,  buy  No.  1-P  steel  wool  in  con- 
tract quantities  at  the  price  you  |  specify.  If  you  can  get  it  at  this 
price  it  is  evidently  because  some  one  has  it  on  hand  at  old  |  prices, 
or  what  is  more  Ukely,  it  is  not  equal  to  our  No.  1-P.^ 

If  you  will  send  us  |  a  sample  of  what  you  are  now  using,  address- 
ing the  package  for  the  attention  of  the  writer,  we  shall  be  |  very  glad 
indeed  to  get  what  you  want  at  the  price  you  wish  to  pay.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (138) 

1  Subject;  action  taken    2  Explanation  of  action     3  Further  explanation    4  Courteous  ofiFer 
to  serve 

16 

Imperial  Extract  Co., 

443  Seneca  Street, 

Buff'alo,  New  York. 
Gentlemen: 

We  have  received  your  letter  of  July  16,  and  we  certainly  owe 
you  an  apology  for  the  way  in  |  which  your  order  for  Soda  Fountain 
suppfies  was  handled.^  We  were  obliged  to  reduce  your  order  of  the 
7th  from  |  nine  dozen  Dark  Cocoa  in  ^  gallons  to  two  dozen,  as  this 
was  all  we  had  in  stock.^     We  |  have  made  a  back  order  for  seven 


OUT    OF    STOCK  43 

dozen  which  we  will  ship  promptly  upon  the  arrival  of  an  additional 
supply  I  which  we  have  coming  in. 

We  are  inclosing  our  memorandum  of  credit  to  correct  the  price 
on  the  two  dozen  |  shipped.  We  ha\  e  credited  you  with  an  allowance 
of  $1.00  on  the  freight  and  cartage  of  the  goods  which  |  we  shipped 
in  error  that  you  have  kindly  consented  to  keep.^ 

We  hope  you  will  pardon  our  errors,^  and  we  |  trust  our  adjust- 
ment meets  with  your  approval. 

Yours  very  truly,     (150) 

1  Cordial,  informal  apology  to  angry  customer    2  Explanation  shows  house  really  not  at 
fault    3  New  paragraph  for  new  topic    4  Final  apology;    note  positiv^e  ending 


17 

R.  A.  Wolff  Company, 

152  Wells  Street, 

Portsmouth,  Virginia. 
Gentlemen : 

The  merchandise  itemized  above  will  be  shipped  on  the  date 
shown.^  There  has  been  an  unusual  delay  in  filhng  |  this  order  due 
to  the  fact  that  while  we  had  a  very  large  stock  of  goods  when  our 
catalogue  was  |  pubhshed,  we  have  received  more  orders  than  any 
one  could  possibly  have  expected;  consequently,  our  reserved  stock 
has  not  only  |  been  sold  out,  but  the  manufacturer  has  been  unable 
to  fill  our  repeated  orders  with  his  usual  promptness,  even  by  |  work- 
ing overtime.^ 

We  have  lately  arranged  with  other  factories  to  make  this  same 
line  of  goods  for  us,  and  by  |  increasing  our  source  of  supply  in  this 
way,  we  do  not  beheve  there  wiU  be  any  delay  in  filling  the  |  future 
orders  even  though  they  continue  to  increase. 

Such  delays  are  guarded  against  with  the  greatest  care,  and  it 
is  I  hardly  possible  that  you  will  have  a  similar  experience  on  any  of 
your  future  orders.^ 

Thank  you  for  your  kind  |  indulgence.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (164) 

1  Emphasis  on   positive  action    2  Explanation   of  serious   trouble;    shows  popularity  of 
article    3  Corrects  negative  impression  already  given    4  Compliment  to  customer 


44  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

18 

Mr.  W.  J.  Dunton, 

Hancock,  Michigan. 
Dear  Sir: 

When  I  wrote  you  on  December  18,^  I  thought  we  should  be  able 
to  send  you  the  leggings  |  #27E5035  in  the  seven-year  size. 

I  have  just  been  informed  by  the  |  Division  that  the  entire  stock 
of  this  particular  number  and  size  was  foimd  to  be  exhausted  at  the 
time,  but  |  they  held  your  order  in  the  beUef  that  the  new  consignment 
we  were  expecting  from  the  manufacturers  would  be  received  |  in  a 
day  or  two. 

This  new  shipment  has  been  unavoidably  delayed.^     I  believe, 
under  the  circumstances,  the   better  thing  |  to  do  is  to  return  your 
money,  so  that  you  may  make  a  new  selection  and  re-order  if  you  so  | 
desire.^    Inclosed  find  a  refund  check  for  96  cents,  including  an  allow- 
ance of  7  cents  for  postage  charges  on  |  the  previous  order. 

Wishing  you  a  Happy  New  Year,  I  am  ^ 

Very  truly  yours,      (154) 

1  Refers  to  subject  but  adopts  chronological  plan  2  Real  subject  of  letter;  more  tactful 
not  to  put  this  first  3  Shows  action  in  customer's  interest  4  Courteous  letter  to  angry 
customer 


19 

Penick  &  Ford,  Ltd., 

1112  Whitney  Bldg., 

New  Orleans,  Louisiana. 
Gentlemen : 

As  we  WTote  you  a  few  days  ago  we  were  compelled  to  delay 
shipment  of  the  goods  listed  on  |  the  inclosed  order  blank.^ 

Although  we  carry  constantly  in  our  store  one  of  the  largest 
stocks  of  merchandise  in  the  |  world,  we  cannot  always  avoid  being 
out  of  some  goods.  This  is  through  no  fault  of  ours,  but  usually  hap- 
pens I  through  some  accident  in  the  factory,  railroad  delays,  or  similar 
causes  beyond  our  control. 

When  we  wrote  you  we  confidently  |  expected  to  have  the  miss- 
ing items  in  our  store  before  this,  but  we  regret  to  say  that  they  have 
not  I  yet  arrived  from  the  factory.  We  think  it  best  to  refund  the 
money  you  sent  us  for  the  omitted  goods,  |  and  we  are  inclosing  a 
remittance  for  this  amount.     We  take  this  step  feeling  that  you  may 


GOODS  SHORT  AND  LOST  45 

not  want  to  |  wait  any  longer  and  may  want  to  purchase  the  goods 
elsewhere. 

If  you  cannot  quickly  procure  exactly  what  you  want  |  at  home, 
it  is  only  necessary  for  you  to  return  the  inclosed  order  sheet  with  our 
remittance  in  the  stamped  |  envelope  we  are  sending.  Drop  it  in  the 
post  office  and  by  the  time  it  gets  back  to  us,  or  |  very  shortly  after- 
wards, the  goods  will  be  shipped  with  tr.\nsportation  charges  pre- 
paid. If  you  return  this  letter  we  will  understand  |  that  you  are 
willing  to  wait  a  few  days  if  necessary,  but  please  bear  in  mind  that 
the  missing  goods  |  are  now  on  the  way  to  us  and  will  probably  be  on 
our  shelves  almost  as  soon  as  your  order  |  and  remittance  are  returned 
to  us." 

If  there  are  any  other  goods  in  our  catalogue  of  which  you  are 
in  I  need,  this  is  a  good  opportunity  to  order  and  for  that  purpose 
there  are  a  number  of  blank  Hnes  left  |  on  the  inclosed  sheet  so  that 
you  can  enter  any  additional  items  you  may  want,^ 

Should  you  order  additional  goods,  |  please  inclose  check  or 
money  order  to  cover  the  additional  cost.  If  the  goods  added  to  the 
order  increase  the  |  cost  of  transportation  charges,  we  shall  probably 
ship  the  entire  lot,  charges  collect,  and  refund  you  the  amount  of 
charges  |  on  the  omitted  goods,  adjusting  the  transaction  so  that  the 
transportation  charges  on  goods  omitted  from  your  original  order  will  { 
be  paid  by  us.^ 

Yours  truly,     (406) 

1  Subject    2  Long  explanation  in  serious  case     3  Sales  suggestion    4  Gives  complete  data 


GOODS  SHORT  AND  LOST 

1 

Kent  Manufacturing  Company, 

Fall  River,  Massachusetts. 
Gentlemen : 

Please  trace  ^  \'igorously  your  shipment  of  JNIarch  1  consisting 
of  5956  yards  of  36"  |  Sheeting. 

We  are  badly  in  need  of  this  Cloth,  in  fact  we  have  been  out  for 
the  last  I  thirty  days,  and  we  hope  that  you  will  do  ever^^hing  possible 
to  expedite  delivery.  Let  us  know  by  return  mail  |  what  is  being 
done  in  the  matter.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (70) 
1  Subject    2  Explanation  and  emphasis 


4§  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  KXERCISES 

2 

Mr.  B.  J.  Burke, 

420  Ellis  Street, 

Baltimore,  Maryland. 
Dear  Sir: 

Inclosed  is  our  remittance  ^  for  the  value  of  the  merchandise 
you  report  -  missing  from  your  shipment.  It  is  |  evident  that  we 
failed  to  include  it. 

We  thank  you  for  notifA^ng  us  of  the  error  and  giving  us  this  | 
opportunity  to  make  it  right. ^ 

Yours  truly,      (47) 

1  Refers  to  inclosure     2  Preferable  to  "you  state"  or  "you  claim"     3  Courteous  and  posi- 
tive ending 

3 

Empire  Trading  Company, 
X  242  East  First  Street, 

Los  Angeles,  Cahfornia. 
Gentlemen : 

A  customer  who  purchased  one  of  our  #78  bicycles  reports  short- 
age 1  of  the  nut  for  the  bolt  |  that  goes  down  through  the  handle  bar, 
also  one  valve  cap  for  the  tire. 

Please  forward  these  direct  to  us  |  using  the  inclosed  tag  and 
giving  our  reference  #1038-A-11.2 

Yours  very  truly,     (58) 

1  Subject     2  Directions  for  action 

4 

Mr.  F.  J.  Burke, 

Kalamazoo,  Michigan. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  are  shipping  without  charge  ^  a  re-order  to  cover  the  shortage 
of  one  thousand  Camel  Cigarettes  on  your  |  order  of  March  4,  reported 
in  your  letter  of  March  13. 

These  were  omitted  by  a  mistake  in  our  order  |  department.^ 
We  trust  they  will  arrive  in  good  shape.^ 

Yours  truly,      (5i) 

1  Shipper  bears  charges  caused  by  error    2  No  apology  needed    3  Positive  ending 


GOODS  SHORT  AND   LOST  47 

5 

Smith,  Edwin  »&  Company, 

95  Wall  Street, 

Bridgeport,  Connecticut. 
Gentlemen : 

In  response  to  your  letter  of  December  14  we  are  forwarding  ^ 
prepaid  the  two  pounds  of  Muriatic  Acid  CP  |  and  one  pound  of 
Sulphuric  Acid  CP  from  your  order  of  December  8. 

The  box  containing  these  was  |  overlooked  by  the  shipping  clerk 
and  in  consequence  we  are  bearing  the  charges  ourselves.  We  trust 
they  will  arrive  promptly.  | 

Yours  very  truly,     (63) 
1  Compare  with  equally  good  first  sentence  in  preceding  letter 

6 

Victor  Sporting  Goods  Co., 

88  Brightwood  Avenue, 

Springfield,  Massachusetts. 
Gentlemen : 

In  response  to  Mr.  Hendricks'  letter  of  March  11,  we  are  inclos- 
ing our  memorandum  of  credit  ^  covering  the  shortages  |  as  noted  on 
yoiu"  orders  of  February  16  and  21.  Thank  you  for  calhng  this  to  our 
attention. 

The  I  free  goods  on  the  Williams  offer  were  overlooked  at  the 
time  of  shipping  the  rest  of  the  goods  on  February  |  21.  We  have 
made  an  entry  of  this  which  we  will  forward  with  your  next  order 
without  charges.2 

The  I  free  goods  on  the  Newskin  offer  have  been  ordered  from 
the  manufacturers  and  will  reach  you  cUrect  from  them. 

Yours  I  very  truly,     (102) 

1  Subject    2  Separate  paragraph  for  new  topic 

7 

Mr.  H.  Van  Eyck. 

Olean,  New  York. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  are  certainly  surprised  that  you  did  not  receive  the  drawers 
for  the  P9053  |  Chiffonier  and  must  remark  that  you  have  been  very 
patient.^ 

If  we  may  try  your  indulgence  a  little  further,  we  |  will  take 


48  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

this  matter  up  with  the  factory  at  once  to  determine  why  shipment 
has  not  been  made  long  since.  | 

Yom"s  very  truly,     (63) 

1  Courtesy  and  apology  were  emphatic  in  case  of  serious  annoyance 

8 

Mr.  A.  R.  Teachout, 

415  Edwards  Avenue, 

Council  Bluffs,  Iowa. 
Dear  Sir: 

On  looking  up  the  shortage  reported  in  our  invoice  of  December  7 
of  items  D5868  |  and  Y1806  we  find  clearly  that  five  boxes  of  glasses 
were  included  |  in  your  order.^ 

Is  there  any  evidence  of  the  shipment  being  pilfered  in  transit, 
or  have  you  been  sent  by  |  our  mistake  other  items  not  shown  on  the 
invoice?  ^     If  you  will  kindly  make  a  careful  recheck  we  shall  gladly  | 
make  a  further  investigation  at  this  end  if  you  should  fail  to  locate 
the  missing  goods. 

Yours  very  truly,     (99) 

1  Subject;  company  disclaims  responsibility  by  simple  statement  of  fact    2  Question  secures 
attention  and  suggests  action 


9 

Mr.  W.  F.  Sarset, 

Davenport,  Iowa. 
Dear  Sir: 

There  was  certainly  a  misunderstanding  on  our  part  relative  to 
the  shoes  concerning  which  you  wrote  me  December  |  15.  I  want  to 
take  this  opportimity  of  offering  my  personal  apology  for  our  Company.^ 

I  have  taken  up  the  |  matter  you  referred  to  me  with  our  Shoe 
Department  and  I  am  informed  they  are  carrying  the  Guardian  Shoe 
in  I  sufficiently  large  quantity  to  make  prompt  shipment.^ 

In  your  letter  you  speak  of  shoe  #2tC1515.  |  I  find  this  particu- 
lar article  number  is  no  longer  carried  in  stock;  however,  I  would  refer 
you  I  to  our  #1705  and  #1516,  which  are  similar  in  style  |  and  equal 
in  quality.^ 

Considering  the  fact  that  you  were  dissatisfied  with  the  shoes 
sent  to  you,  also  that  you  |  have  had  to  write  more  than  once,  I  am 


GOODS  SHORT  AND  LOST  49 

going  to  do  what  I  believe  is  the  right  thing  and  |  inclose  a  check  for 
$2.00,  which  I  think  will  satisfactorily  recompense  you.^ 

I  hope  you  will  not  conclude,  Mr.  |  Sarset,  that  we  intended 
acting  as  we  did  in  this  matter,  and  hasten  to  assure  you  your  busi- 
ness is  highly  |  appreciated,  also  that  our  previous  letters  were  written 
to  you  under  the  wrong  impression.^ 

Wishing  you  a  Happy  and  Prosperous  |  New  Year,  I  am 

Very  truly  yours,      (227) 

1  Annoyance  so  serious  that  apology  is  made  the  subject  2  Subject,  "We  should  not  have 
substituted  "  3  Re-order  suggested  but  not  urged  4  Voluntary  allowance  to  settle  dis- 
satisfaction   5  Cordial,  positive  ending 

10 

Mr.  B.  0.  Larry, 

809  Galveston  Street, 

Newark,  New  Jersey. 
Dear  Sir: 

Thank  you  for  your  order.^ 

We  could  not  fill  your  order  completely,  as  part  of  your  letter 
was  I  lost  before  sliipment.^  The  goods  shijjped  are  shown  on  the 
inclosed  bill,  and  we  are  inclosing  our  remittance  for  the  |  value  of 
the  part  left  out. 

We  are  sorry  to  disappoint  you  in  this  way,^  but  if  you  will  send  | 

us  a  list  of  the  missing  goods  on  the  inclosed  order  blank,  returning 

this  letter  and  whatever  remittance  the  goods  |  may  require,  we  will 

be  glad  to  make  prompt  shipment.^    We  will  also  pay  any  extra  charge 

that  you  may  |  be  caused  by  shipping  your  order  in  two  parts. 

Yours  truly,     (ill) 

1  Courteous  acknowledgment  2  Second  subject:  shortage  3  Regret  for  mistake  4  Sug- 
gests prompt  action 

Mr.  N.  F.  Kimball, 

Topeka,  Kansas. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  are  inclosing  bill  of  lading  of  our  December  12  shipment, 
as  requested,^  If  there  is  no  deKvery  |  effected  by  July  20  it  would  be 
advisable  to  file  claim  for  the  loss  of  this  merchandise.- 

In  the  meantime,  |  we  are  instituting  a  vigorous  ^  tracer  and 
sincerely  hope  that  this  shipment  will  yet  reach  you. 

Yours  very  truly,     (59) 
1  Subject    2  Suggests  step  for  recovery     3  Shows  earnest  effort  to  serve 


50  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

12 

T.  L.  Davis  &  Company, 

110  State  Street, 

Boston,  Massachusetts. 
Gentlemen : 

We  are  inclosing  a  copy  of  receipt  ^  showing  our  delivery  of  two 
pieces  to  the  Express  Company  on  your  |  order  #1214738  so  that  it  is 
very  apparent  they  failed  |  to  deliver  one  of  the  packages.  If  delivery 
is  not  effected  very  soon,  we  shall  be  pleased  to  present  the  |  matter 
to  the  Express  Company  in  your  behalf. 

Yours  very  truly,     (71) 

1  Subject,  answers  question  by  showing  fact;  also  refers  to  inclosure 

13 

Mrs.  E.  G.  Lawrence, 

410  Kendall  Avenue, 

St.  Paul,  Minnesota. 
Dear  Madam: 

An  order  has  been  entered  for  the  goods  you  report  missing  ^ 
and  shipment  wiU  be  made,  all  charges  |  paid  by  us,  to  your  town. 
It  should  reach  you  promptly. 

We  thank  you  for  reporting  this  matter,  as  it  |  enables  us  to 
correct  the  error  and  make  the  transaction  satisfactory  ^  to  you. 

We  shall  look  forward  to  receiving  other  |  orders  from  you. 

Yours  truly,     (65) 

1  Subject,  providing  a  remedy    2  Positive  ending 

-    14 

Mrs.  G.  D.  Larum, 

498  Caldron  Avenue, 

Duluth,  Minnesota. 
Dear  Madam: 

We  regret  that  we  have  not  received  ^  the  child's  corduroy  coat 
which  you  wrote  us  on  December  22  |  you  were  returning  to  be  ex- 
changed for  a  one-year-old  size.^ 

If  you  returned  the  coat  by  express  |  wiU  you  not  ask  the  repre- 


GOODS  SHORT  AND  LOST  51 

sentative  of  the  express  company  at  your  station  to  trace  this?  Or  if 
you  will  I  kindly  send  us  your  own  express  receipt  we  sh,all  gladly  take 
up  the  matter  with  the  express  company  for  you.^  | 

Yours  very  truly,     (83) 

1  This  letter  and  the  two  following  deal  with  customer's  probable  neglect.  Note  care  to 
avoid  offense  2  Repeats  subject  of  preceding  letter  because  customer  has  perhaps  forgotten 
to  return  the  goods     3  Courteously  offers  to  serve 


15 

IVlr.  J.  R.  Killmore, 

198  Grand  Avenue, 

Holyoke,  Massachusetts. 
Dear  Sir: 

Our  maturity  file  brings  to  our  attention  this  morning  ^  the 
shipment  of  watches  referred  to  in  our  letter  |  of  December  28.  We 
do  not  seem  to  have  received  your  reply. 

Can  you  tell  us  whether  this  package  |  has  been  located  in  the 
post  office  since  you  wrote  us?^  If  not,  we  should  appreciate  your 
information  on  the  |  inclosed  sheet  so  that  we  can  take  this  matter 
up  energetically  with  the  post-office  authorities. 

The  amount  of  money  |  involved  in  this  package  is  a  rather  large 
one  and  we  are  very  desirous  of  getting  the  case  cleared  up.^  |  Accord- 
ingly, we  shall  deeply  appreciate  receiving  your  prompt  reply. 

Yours  very  truly,     (112) 

1  Specific  language  aids  in  securing  action     2  Request  for  action  in  question  form     3  Reason 
for  desiring  prompt  action 

16 

H.  R.  Bierbauer  &  Sons, 

89  Clinton  Street, 

Joplin,  Missouri. 
Gentlemen : 

Your  representative,  Mr.  Lynch,  dropped  into  this  department 
while  in  our  house  yesterday  and  inquired  what  we  were  going  |  to 
do  about  the  matting  shipped  on  our  invoice  if61815.^ 

Now  we  want  to  |  push  tliis  matter  right  through  and  to  give 
you  entire  satisfaction.-    Your  letter  of  October  21  stated  you  were  | 
returning  a  sample  of  the  matting,  but  as  it  has  not  come  to  the  atten- 
tion of  this  department  we  fear  |  it  was  not  marked  in  such  a  way 


52  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

that  the  returned  goods  department  would  know  that  it  had  to  do  | 
with  a  claim. 

In  our  letter  of  October  23  we  invited  an  expression  from  you 
as  to  what  sort  |  of  adjustment  would  close  this  case.^     Won't  you 
please  let  us  have  this  expression  promptly?     We  shall  give  it  our  | 
earnest  consideration.^ 

Yours  very  truly,      (145) 

1  Informal,  specific  language  has  personal  touch     2  Desire   to  serve,   softens  implication 
of  customer's  neglect  that  follows     3  Shows  fairness     4  Avoids  dangerous  promises 

GOODS  OVER  AND  WRONG   GOODS  SENT 

1 

Mr.  J.  S.  Musser, 

434  Market  Street, 

Harrisburg,  Pennsylvania. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  have  ordered  the  return  ^  of  our  shipment  of  roofing  invoice 
#12729  I  which  your  letter  of  March  3  informs  us  we  duplicated  by 
mistake.^ 

We  are  sorry  to  have  made  this  error  |  and  thank  you  for  your 
courtesy  in  handling  it.^ 

Yours  very  truly,      (52) 

1  Action  first    2  Indirect  reference    3  Positive  ending 

2 

Mr.  F.  H.  Birch, 

Batavia,  New  York. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  have  just  discovered  ^  that  through  an  error  in  our  shipping 
department  we  have  sent  you  one  case  |  of  Richardson's  Crushed 
Fruit  instead  of  your  order  for  candy.  This  case  is  intended  for  S.  P. 
Hall,  Fairport,  New  |  York.  We  would  appreciate  ^  your  forwarding 
it  to  him  by  freight  collect. 

We  are  shipping  your  goods  to  you  to-day  |  by  C.  &  M.  W. 
freight.^  If  you  will  inform  us  of  the  freight  charges  paid  on  the  goods 
sent  I  in  error,  and  of  any  other  expense  our  error  may  cause  you,  we 
shall  be  very  glad  to  make  a  |  reimbursement.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (104) 

1  Shows  prompt  action     2  Courtesy    3  Second  subject;  action     4  Courtesy 


GOODS    OVER    AND    WRONG    GOODS    SENT  53 

3 

Breck  Drug  Company, 

Mobile,  Alabama. 
Gentlemen : 

We  find  that  the  goods  referred  to  in  your  card  of  December  6 
which  you  received  by  express  were  |  sent  in  error,  as  they  belonged  to 
another  customer.^     May  we  ask  you  to  kindly  return  these  to  us  at  | 
our  expense?  - 

If  you  will  also  let  us  know  the  amount  of  the  express  paid  on 
the  shipment  we  shall  |  be  very  glad  to  reimburse  you.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (G9) 

1  Answers  question  in  previous  letter     2  Action     3  Courteous  and  positive  ending 

4 

Messrs.  Sterhng  Brothers, 

Portland,  Maine. 
Gentlemen : 

Thank  you  for  accepting  ^  the  one  pound  of  Maro's  Calipeptone 
on  your  order  of  March  3  instead  of  one  |  gallon  as  ordered  and  charged. 

We  inclose  our  memorandum  of  credit  correcting  the  price  on 
the  goods  received.- 

Our  shipping  ]  department  was  in  error  in  shipping  your  order 
for  Cow  Ease  with  this  express  order.  If  you  will  inform  us  |  of  the 
express  charges  we  shall  be  very  glad  to  make  you  a  reimbursement.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (77) 

1  Thanks  for  favor  precedes     2  Reference  to  inclosure     3  Positive  ending 


American  Thermos  Bottle  Compaoiy, 

35  W  est  Thirty-first  Street, 
New  York  City. 
Gentlemen : 

Please  request  the  transportation  company  to  return  to  you  ^ 
the  shipment  of  February  22  of  one  dozen  each  |  #391  and  #166  Ther- 
mos Bottles  for  our  account  to  E.  F.  Wilfiams,  |  Janesville,  Wisconsin.^ 

We  made  an  error  in  ordering  this  quantity  shipped  to  our  cus- 


54  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

tomer,  as  he  informs  us  that  one  |  kit  of  each  number  was  what  he 
desired.^ 

He  has  informed  us,  however,  that  none  of  the  shipment  has 
been  |  received. 

In  allowing  us  credit  for  the  goods  please  deduct  any  expense 
in  carriage  you  have  been  caused.  Thank  you  |  for  your  assistance 
in  this  matter,^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (109) 

1  Action    first     2  Necessary   data    3  Explanation     4  Courteous   ending    but   no    apology 
needed 

6 

Ashton  Manufacturing  Company, 

Ann  Arbor,  Michigan. 
Gentlemen : 

We  were  sorry  to  learn  from  your  letter  of  March  18  of  our 
error  ^  on  July  28,  1917  |  in  shipping  you  ten  pounds  of  Potassium 
Bicarbonate  on  your  order  for  ten  pounds  of  Potassium  Bichromate.^ 
The  goods  |  which  you  are  returning  wiU  be  promptly  placed  to  your 
credit  upon  their  receipt.^ 

Potassium  Bichromate  now  comes  under  the  j  restriction  of 
explosives  in  accordance  with  the  recent  Explosive  regulations.  Be- 
fore we  are  permitted  to  ship  the  goods  to  you  |  it  is  necessary  that  we 
have  your  hcense  number  and  know  the  purpose  for  which  the  goods 
are  intended.^  When  |  supplied  with  this  infomiation  we  shall  be 
very  glad  to  forward  the  goods  at  once. 

In  case  you  are  unacquainted  |  wdth  the  explosive  regulations 
you  can  obtain  aU  necessary  information  from  the  County  Clerk  of 
your  County  who  will  also  |  issue  an  explosive  license  at  the  cost  of 
25  cents. ^ 

Yours  very  truly,      {I5i) 

1  Regret     2  Data     3  Action;  could  come  first     4  Explanation  in  this  case  must  precede 
offer  of  action     5  Further  explanation 

7 

Mr.  S.  F.  Jenkins, 

Montclair,  New  Jersey. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  can  realize  your  disappointment  in  receiving  four  buttons 
of  two  different  styles,  when  you  required  eleven  buttons  |  of  several 
different  sizes  for  A3016  Coat.^ 

Our  clothing  department  is  now  instructing  our  factory  to  send  | 


DAMAGE  55 

you  a  complete  set  of  buttons  for  this  coat,  and  we  have  impressed 
upon  their  minds  the  importance  of  getting  |  them  to  you  with  the 
least  possible  delay.^  We  sincerely  hope  therefore  that  you  will  pardon 
the  inconvenience  caused  you  |  by  tliis  oversight,  and  we  assure  you 
that  we  shall  give  earnest  attention  to  avoiding  a  repetition.^ 

The  Skirt  and  |  Gloves  you  desire  to  return  may  be  returned  to 
us  by  parcel  post  or  express.  If  you  make  sure  your  ]  name  appears 
on  the  package  it  will  enable  us  to  identify  the  shipment  properly 
when  it  reaches  us.^ 

Yours  very  |  truly,     (I4i) 

1  Sympatliy  first;  angry  customer  2  Action  3  Avoids  dangerous  promise  like  "This 
will  never  happen  again"     4  Courteous  explanation  of  request 


DAMAGE 

1 

Mr.  L.  F.  Alexander, 

Rye,  New  York. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  have  your  letter  of  June  16  with  reference  to  the  Cut  Glass 
Bowl  and  8  only  Sherbets  |  which  you  reported  received  broken.^ 

Our  records  ^  clearly  indicate  that  these  items  were  in  first-class 
condition  when  delivered  to  |  the  transportation  company.  If  you 
will  return  your  freight  bill,  properly  noted,  we  shall  promptly  file 
claim  in  your  behalf  |  to  recover  the  loss.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (67) 

1  Reference   to   letter     2  Responsibility  located     3  Offer  of   aid;     could  come   first,    with 
indirect  reference  to  letter.    Compare  next  letter  ^ 

2 

The  Waters  Drug  Company, 

623  South  Main  Street, 
Gary,  Indiana. 
Gentlemen : 

If  you  will  return  the  damaged  Thermos  Kit  mentioned  in  your 
letter  of  April  2,  we  will  send  you  |  a  credit  to  cover  it. 

The  one  gallon  of  Tincture  of  Iodine  which  we  sliipped  with 
your  order  of  March  |  6  is  a  strictly  U.  S.  P.  grade.^     You  may  be 


56  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

interested  to  know  that  goods  which  are  standard  in  |  the  U.  S.  P. 
and  conform  to  the  standard  do  not  have  to  be  labeled  U.  S.  P.  In 
case,  I  however,  the  article  is  a  standard  and  does  not  conform  to 
the  U.  S.  P.  it  is  to  be  labeled  |  "not  U.  S.  P."  ^ 

Yom^s  very  truly,     (107) 

1  Subject  of  paragraph  first;  answer  to  question  2  Explanation  second,  with  courteous 
introduction 

3 

Messrs.  Hook  Brothers, 

Madison,  New  Jersey. 
Gentlemen : 

We  were  sorry  to  learn  from  yom*  letter  of  March  14  that  the 
two  gallons  of  Castor  Oil  shipped  |  on  your  order  of  March  7  were 
received  in  unsalable  condition.^  If  you  will  kindly  return  the  goods 
to  us  I  we  shall  be  glad  to  send  you  a  memorandum  of  credit  to  cover.^ 

We  also  regret  to  hear  of  the  |  shortage  of  2^  gross  one-ounce 
Opal  Ointment  Jars  on  our  invoice  of  January  23.  Our  |  records  indi- 
cate that  one-ounce  Jars  were  packed  in  the  same  box  with  the  three 
gross  three-ounce.  Kindly  let  |  us  know  if  this  shipment  had  the 
appearance  of  having  been  opened  in  transit;  also  let  us  know  if 
possible  I  the  weight  of  the  shipment  as  noted  on  the  freight  bill.  With 
this  information  we  will  make  a  further  investigation.  |  Inclosed  is  a 
stamped  envelope  for  your  convenience  in  replying. 

Yours  very  truly,     (153) 

1  Bfegret  first,  to  angry  customer  2  Topic  of  allowance  comes  before  topic  of  request  for 
investigation,  because  more  pleasant  to  customer 

4 

Greenville  Hardware  Company, 

Greenville,  New  Hampshire. 
Gentlemen: 

Your  remittance  of  $16.19  was  received  with  thanks.^ 

We  are  sorry  to  learn  of  |  the  breakage  of  the  H325  Hand  Saws, 
but  are  just  wondering  if  you  are  not  able  |  to  get  these  parts  locally 
at  a  reasonable  price.  We  would  allow,  willingly,  any  reasonable 
expense  you  would  be  obliged  |  to  pay  in  obtaining  these  parts,  but 
of  course  if  you  cannot  conveniently  make  this  arrangement,  we  shall 
endeavor  to  j  obtain  them  from  our  factory.^ 

The  S3605  Crepe  Paper  was  properly  charged  against  you,  as  | 
the  price  which  appears  in  our  catalogue  is  based  on  each  roll  contain- 


DAMAGE  57 

ing  10  feet.  An  unfortunate  mistake  was  made  |  by  the  printer,  in 
getting  this  up,  to  read  30  feet.  We  will  have  this  error  corrected  in 
our  next  |  issue." 

We  trust,  however,  that  you  will  appreciate  the  fact  that  you 
have  received  just  what  you  were  charged  for  |  and  hope  you  will  not 
experience  any  particular  trouble  in  disposing  of  the  goods.^ 

We  further  regret  to  note  the  |  breakage  on  the  casserole,  but 
we  are  wondering  if  the  complete  dish  is  defective  or  if  you  would  be 
able  I  to  use  it  if  we  replaced  the  inside. 

The  \ery  bad  condition  in  which  you  report  having  received 
this  shipment  |  is,  no  doubt,  the  direct  fault  of  the  carrier.  If  we  can 
be  of  any  assistance  in  fihng  claim  for  |  you,  we  shall  be  very  glad  to 
do  so  if  you  will  send  us  the  necessary  papers.^ 

Yours  very  truly,  |       (260) 

1  Letter  on  several  subjects;  acknowledgment  of  remittance  first  2  Topics  mentioned 
in  order  as  in  customer's  letter  3  Positive  ending  of  paragraph  4  Explanation  necessary 
because  customer  is  angry  5  Closes  with  summary  and  offers  aid.  Note  that  shipper  makes 
allowances  and  gives  aid,  though  not  at  fault 

5 

Mr.  T.  H.  Duff, 

Allen,  South  Dakota. 
Dear  Sir: 

I  am  very  sorry  indeed  that  you  have  experienced  so  much  dis- 
satisfaction and  disappointment  with  your  order  for  |  the  table  #57E, 
but  I  am  mighty  glad  you  called  this  fact  to  my  attention,  as  I  |  cer- 
tainly appreciate  constructive  criticism.^ 

There'  is  no  doubt  in  my  mind  that  we  have  been  imfortimate 
with  your  particular  order  |  and  I  have  concluded  from  what  you  say 
that  the  damage  has  occurred  in  transit.^    Were  I  in  your  position,  | 
I  should,  no  doubt,  feel  just  as  provoked  as  you  do. 

I  take  this  opportunity  of  saying  that  I  am  |  going  to  have 
another  table  shipped  and  have  given  instructions  to  have  it  carefully 
inspected  before  being  delivered  to  the  |  transportation  company  for 
shipment.^ 

There  is  no  re^on  why  we  cannot  send  you  a  table  that  would 
please  you,  just  |  the  same  as  we  have  pleased  plenty  of  other  customers.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (153) 

1  Regret,  to  angry  customer;  but  note  positive  ending  of  paragraph  2  Date  of  letter  made 
subordinate  to  apology  3  Though  in  no  way  to  blame,  company  replaces  damaged  article 
4  Positive  ending  , 


58  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION   EXERCISES 

6 

Mr.  T.  H.  Duff, 

Allen,  South  Dakota. 
Dear  Sir: 

This  is  to  supplement  my  letter  of  May  25,^  and  to  inform  you 
that  an  order  for  |  a  new  table  is  being  entered  to-day,  shipment  to 
go  forward  by  freight,  all  charges  prepaid,  under  invoice  number 
L70909.  I 

In  addition  to  the  sum  of  $23.95,  the  purchase  |  price  of  the 
table,  we  are  allowing  you  a  credit  of  75  cents  toward  freight  charges 
and  $1.50  |  for  hauling.  This  gives  a  total  credit  of  $26.20.  The 
balance  in  |  your  favor  will  be  refunded  after  shipment  goes  forward.^ 

I  can  readily  appreciate  that  you  have  very  good  cause  to  |  be 
dissatisfied,  and  were  I  in  your  position,  I  doubt  very  much  if  I  should 
be  as  patient  as  you  |  have  been.^ 

Yours  truly,      (144) 

1  Supplements   preceding  letter     2  Shows  generous  allowance     3  Cordial   compliment  fin- 
ishes the  transaction 

DEFECT 

1 

Mr,  Oliver  Jacks, 

Hocking,  Pennsylvania. 
Dear  Sir: 

If  you  are  confident  ^  that  the  railroad  is  not  at  fault  for  the  con- 
dition in  which  you  received  |  the  phonograph,  let  us  know  the  allow- 
ance necessary  to  adjust  this  matter  to  your  entire  satisfaction  and 
we  shall  be  |  very  glad  to  give  it  our  consideration.- 

Yours  very  triily,     (50) 
1  Adjustment  easier  than  dispute    2  Avoids  dangerous  promise 

2 

Mrs.  P.  Lufing, 

609  Mitchell  Street, 

La  Crosse,  Wisconsin. 
Dear  Madam: 

If  you  will  return  the  unsatisfactory  goods  according  to  the  in- 
closed instructions,  we  will  refund  the  purchase  price  |  plus  transporta- 
tion charges,  or  apply  the  amount  toward  the  cost  of  other  goods, 
whichever  you  prefer.^ 


DEFECT  59 

We  are  not  only  |  willing  but  extremely  anxious  to  live  up  to  our 
guarantee  of  satisfaction  at  all  times.^ 

Yours  truly,     (57) 

1  Concise  and  graceful  sentence     2  Positive  conclusion 

3 

Mr,  Edward  Kilbourn, 

54  North  Main  Street, 
Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
Dear  Sir: 

Please  return  the  merchandise  you  report  defective.  We  aim 
to  have  nothing  but  perfect  goods  sent  out  and  |  if  a  customer  of 
ours  receives  a  defective  article,  we  much  prefer  to  have  it  returned.^ 

While  we  will  cheerfully  |  refund  your  money  if  you  prefer,  we 
should  much  rather  fill  your  order  again  for  perfect  merchandise  of 
the  same  |  kind  or  other  goods,  whichever  you  wish,  because  we  want 
you  to  be  pleased  with  your  purchase  and  with  our  |  service,^ 

For  your  convenience  -  we  are  inclosing  a  tag  to  be  attached  to 
the  outside  of  the  package,  and  we  |  shall  also  appreciate  your  follow- 
ing the  few  instructions  which  we  are  inclosing. 

Yours  truly,     (114) 
1  Emphasizes  desire  to  serve;   avoids  apology       2  Appeals  to  self-interest 

4 

Mt.  Paul  Weed, 

450  Knapp  Street, 

Peoria,  Illinois. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  are  sorry  that  some  of  the  merchandise  in  your  last  order 
was  not  perfect,  but  we  are  |  very  glad  that  you  told  us.  We  certainly 
do  not  intend  to  send  out  imperfect  goods  and  you  would  not  |  ha\  e 
received  this  except  through  the  oversight  of  one  of  our  inspectors. 
By  notif^^ng  us  and  returning  the  goods  you  |  have  shown  us  a  favor 
which  we  appreciate.^ 

We  are,  of  course,-  sending  you  a  new  shipment  at  once,  charges  | 
paid  to  your  town,  to  replace  what  you  returned.     We  hope  you  will 
find  it  perfect  in  every  way. 

Please  |  let  us  hear  from  you  frequently.^ 

Yours  truly,     (108) 

1   Differs   from   preceding   letter  in  that   customer   had   returned   goods   2  Emphasizes  the 
guarantee  of  satisfaction     3  Suggests  further  orders 


60  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

5 

Mr.  Carl  Kallis, 

10  Greenfield  Avenue, 

North  Adams,  Massachusetts. 
Dear  Sir: 

An  order  has  been  placed  with  our  factory  ^  for  the  repair  part 
to  replace  the  one  you  returned.  |  You  may  be  sure  your  instructions 
will  be  carefully  followed. 

As  this  part  did  not  prove  to  be  satisfactory,  you  |  certainly 
did  right  in  returning  it,  for  we  always  desire  to  please  you  and  satisfy 
you  in  every  respect.^ 

Please  |  allow  ample  time  for  the  shipment  to  arrive  —  it  should 
not  take  more  than  a  week  or  ten  days.^ 

Yours  1  truly,     (8i) 

1  Action  first     2  Emphasizes  desire  to  serve    3  Protects  against  further  dissatisfaction 

EXCHANGE 

1 

Mrs.  L.  A.  Paulsen, 

400  Clarke  Street, 

Milwaukee,  Wisconsin. 

Dear  Madam: 

Thank  you  for  your  new  order  which  we  expect  to  ship  promptly. ^ 

Another  order  has  been  sent,  separately,  |  in  exchange  for  the 

merchandise  you  returned  to  us.^     Every  care  has  been  exercised  to 

comply  with  your  instructions,  and  |  we  are  confident  ^  you  will  find 

the  goods  satisfactory. 

We  are  glad  you  gave  us  the  opportunity  to  make  the  |  exchange, 

as  we  want  you  to  be  fully  pleased  with  every  transaction. 

Kindly  let  us  hear  from  you  whenever  we  |  can  be  of  service. 

Yours  truly,     (86) 

1  Acknowledgment  first    2  Notifies  of  re-order    3  More  positive  than  "we  hope."     Note 
emphasis  throughout  the  letter  on  positive  element 

2 
Mrs.  A.  Schultz, 

175  Clay  Street, 

Louisville,  Kentucky. 
Dear  Madam: 

An  order  has  been  entered  for  goods  to  replace  those  with  which 


WRONG    CHARGE  61 

you  are  not  pleased.^    Shipment  will  |  be  made  at  our  expense,  charges 
paid,  and  should  reach  you  promptly. 

In  this  case  we  wiU  not  have  you  |  return  the  goods  on  account 
of  the  transportation  charges.  Please  make  such  use  of  them  as  you 
can  with  our  |  compliments.^ 

We  thank,  you  for  reporting  this  matter,  as  we  are  glad  to  make 
the  transaction  satisfactory.^ 

Yours  truly,     (79) 

1  Action  first    2  Cordiality  instead  of  grudging  attitude     3  Thanks  for  co-operation 

WRONG   CHARGE 

1 

Brooks  Drug  Company, 

MorristowTi,  New  Jersey. 
Gentlemen: 

We  are  inclosing  a  corrected  invoice  for  your  order  of  April  18, 
omitting  the  3  dozen  Pond's  Vanishing  Cream. ^  | 

The  inclusion  of  this  item  reported  in  your  letter  of  April  13 
was  a  typographical  error.^ 

Yours  truly,     (38) 

1  Action    2  Explanation 

2 

Ball  Drug  &  Dental  Company, 

Libertyville,  Illinois. 
Gentlemen : 

In  response  to  your  card  of  January  12,  we  are  inclosing  a  cor- 
rected invoice  covering  our  shipment  of  February  |  22.^  Our  bilHng 
department  transposed  prices  on  the  Squibbs  Pepper  in  ^'s  and  I's.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (39) 

1  Action     2  Explanation 

3 

Naumkeag  Clothing  Co., 
293-297  High  Street, 

Holyoke,  Massachusetts. 
Gentlemen : 

Your  letter  has  enabled  us  to  locate  a  mistake  made  in  billing 
your  order.^  The  account  has  been  canceled  |  and  we  inclose  the 
balance  due  you.^ 

We  are  sorry  this  mistake  occurred,  but  glad  you  reported  it.^ 

Yours  truly,  |       (40) 

1  Thanks  for  co-operation     2  Action     3  Emphasis  on  positive  element 


62  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

4 

Ashland  Merchandise  Company, 

Ashland,  Kentucky. 
Dear  Sir: 

The  correct  price  of  H3170  Iron  Kettle  is  $8.75  |  a  dozen.  Our 
apparent  error  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  price  in  our  catalogue  is  not 
clear.  |  You  can  verify  this  statement  by  referring  to  our  former  edi- 
tion you  have  in  your  possession.  Your  request  for  the  |  allowance 
is  therefore  respectfully  declined.^ 

if  for  any  reason  you  do  not  wish  to  retain  the  Kettles  at  the 
price  1  charged,  you  are  at  liberty  to  return  them  for  credit.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (93) 

1  Courteous  refusal  of  claim.     Begins  with  statement  of  fact     2  OfTers  adjustment 

5 

Boston  Shoe  Company, 

Norwalk,  Connecticut. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  sincerely  hope  that  the  inclosed  additional  return  goods 
credit  of  $4.42  will  |  adjust  the  error  that  was  made  in  sending  you  a 
credit  for  $I.OO.i 

Yours  very  truly,     (37) 

1  Courteous,  concise^  letter 

6 

Mr.  Ludwig  Rippe, 

521  Madison  Avenue, 
Akron,  Ohio. 
Dear  Sir: 

If  you  were  speaking  of  Locust  Street,  Putnamville,  in  your 
letter  of  July  16,  and  paid  a  straight  |  cash  fare,  you  were  certainly 
charged  an  extra  fare,  and  we  want  to  return  it  to  you. 

We  are  therefore  |  asking  our  local  superintendent  at  Salem, 
R.  B.  Chalmers,^  to  call  on  you  and  straighten  the  matter  out.- 

We  are  |  glad  you  brought  this  matter  to  our  attention,  and 
wish  to  thank  you  for  the  spirit  in  which  you  wrote.^  | 

Cordially  yours,     (82) 

1  Cordial  adjustment     2  Unusual  effort  at  satisfaction     3  Thanks  for  co-operation 


WRONG   CH.\RGE  63 

7 

Mr.  Oscar  Da\^s, 

704  Northfield  Street, 
Dexter,  Michigan. 
Dear  Sir: 

Permit  me  to  thank  you  personally  for  your  very  kind  co-opera- 
tion in  assisting  us  to  straighten  our  records  |  relative  to  your  recent 
order  for  fencing,^ 

The  check  for  $19.75  you  returned  to  |  us  has  been  duly  received 
and  our  books  have  been  posted  accordingly .- 

I  am  unable  to  ascertain  definitely  just  what  amount  is  |  due 
you;  however,  as  you  say  it  is  one  doUar  and  some  cents,  I  am  going 
to  take  the  hberty  |  of  inclosing  herewith  a  check  for  $2.00,  which  I 
believe  will  satisfactorily  recompense  you.^ 

Wishing  you  a  Happy  New  |  Year,  I  am 

Very  truly  yours,     (106) 
1  Thanks  for  co-operation    2  Action    3  Generous  allowance 

8 

Mrs.  Nathan  Gray, 

27  Grand  Avenue, 

^lemphis,  Tennessee. 
Dear  Madam: 

Your  letter  of  November  23  was  referred  to  me  for  reply.^ 

The  quotation  of  98  cents  |  a  yard  for  the  silk  and  wool  poplin 
#16E2508  was  a  typographical  error.-  |  This  mistake  was  made  by 
the  printer  in  making  up  our  catalogue.  The  correct  price  for  this 
item  in  the  |  first  edition  of  our  #87  catalogue  is  Si. 37  a  yard,  but  is 
now  I  stated  as  S1.48  a  yard  in  the  latest  issue  of  our  #87  catalogue.  | 

I  regret  this  incident  very  much,  as  I  can  very  well  appreciate 
how  it  has  impressed  you,  but  I  trust  |  you  will  be  good  enough  to  bear 
with  us  this  time.^ 

It  would  be  a  real  disappointment  to  me  if  |  you  discontinued 
sending  your  orders  here  as  a  result  of  this.^  I  assure  you  there  was  no 
intention  on  our  |  part  to  misrepresent  the  goods.  The  whole  affair 
was  the  outcome  of  a  mistake  and  nothing  more. 

Under  separate  cover,  |  I  am  sending  you  one  of  the  latest  edi- 
tions of  our  #87  catalogue.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (198) 

1  Explains   why  customer  does  not   hear   from  former  correspondent     2  Subject;    explains 
apparent  overcharge    3  Regret    4  Suggests  further  orders 


64  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

ALLOWANCE 

1 

Welch  Pharmacy, 

Norfolk,  Virginia. 
Gentlemen : 

We  are  inclosing  our  memorandum  of  credit  ^  for  the  amount 
of  $6.00  as  allowance  on  the  excess  express  |  charges  on  our  shipment 
of  February  21. 

We  hope  this  allowance  will  adjust  the  matter  to  your  satisfaction. ^ 

Yours  I  very  truly,      (42) 
1  Subject    2  Courtesy 

2 

Mrs.  Hans  C.  Lucier, 

Maple  Leaf  Farm, 

Sacred  Heart,  Minnesota. 
Dear  Madam: 

It  is  too  bad  that  you  have  been  obhged  to  write  us  so  many  times 
relative  to  the  |  amount  due  you,  but  I  feel  your  experience  has  been 
somewhat  unusual.^ 

I  am  very  glad  you  wTote  me  personally,  |  and  for  our  not  hav- 
ing settled  with  you  sooner,  please  accept  my  apology. 
You  have  been  allowed  for  the 

Mustard  | 60 

Barrette 42 

Buckwheat 67 

Blue  print  paper 18 

Cheviot 40 

Postage  I 25 

making  a  total  of  $2.82  —  inclosed  in  the  form  of  our  check.^  [ 

Very  truly  yours,     (103) 

1  Apology  first  to  angry  customer     2  x\ction.    Note  positive  ending 

3 
Mrs.  T.  R.  Peabody, 

283  West  Third  Street, 

Monterey,  California. 
Dear  Madam: 

On  December  6,  Mrs.  Peabody,^  I  wrote  to  you  and  inclosed 
with  my  letter  a  check  for  $14.85.^  |  The  letter  was  not  mailed  until 


ALLOWANCE  65 

the  eighth,  but  I  am  sure  it  will  have  |  reached  you  by  the  time  you 
get  my  letter. 

^^  ith  the  receipt  of  this  check,  I  am  sure  the  situation  |  in  ques- 
tion will  be  fully  covered  and  trust  with  this  matter  out  of  the  way, 
we  can  resume  our  business  |  relations  of  the  past  on  as  friendly  a 
basis  as  formerly.^ 

As  I  said  before,  our  handling  of  this  order  |  was  not  a  sample 
of  what  we  can  do,  so  I  trust  you  will  not  take  an  unfavorable  impres- 
sion of  I  us  from  this  experience.  It  was  an  exceptional  case.  AVhile 
I  would  not  care  to  be  set  down  as  having  |  made  a  promise,  I  am  con- 
fident the  future  will  speak  for  itself  so  far  as  our  ability  to  serve  you  | 
properly  is  concerned.^ 

With  kindest  regards,  I  am 

Very  truly  yours,     (I7i) 

1  Use  of  name  in  body  of  letter  often  increases  personal  and  cordial  tone     2  Subject.    An- 
swers customer's  letter     3  Suggests  further  orders 


Captain  O.  V.  W  aterson. 

Executive  Officer,  U.  S.  War  Prison  No.  6, 
Lexington,  Kentucky. 
Dear  Captain  W aterson: 

I  am  having  an  order  entered  to-day  ^  to  ship  you  by  parcel  post, 
all  charges  prepaid,  five,  |  size  34,  cotton  athletic  shirts;  two,  size  32, 
athletic  shirts;  and  seven  pairs  of  black  knee  length  athletic  |  pants. 
Shipment  will  go  forward  under  invoice  X464634. 

Considering  that  you  ]  placed  your  order  with  us  at  a  time 
when  prices  were  considerably  lower,  I  am  going  to  make  an  excep- 
tion I  and  send  you  this  shipment  for  the  amount  you  allowed 
originally.- 

One  of  our  latest  #88  catalogues  will  |  be  sent  to  you  imd«r 
separate  cover  as  you  request. 

I  am  very  sorry  you  have  been  put  to  so  |  much  trouble  regard- 
ing your  order  and  want  you  to  know  that  your  kind  indulgence  aud 
co-operation  is  sincerely  appreciated.^ 

Very  |  truly  yours,     (142) 

1  Action     2  Generous  allowance     3  Thanks  for  co-operation 


66  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION   EXERCISES 

5 

Mr.  James  FarreU, 

R.  F.  D.  #4, 

Portland,  Oregon. 
Dear  Sir: 

Out  failure  to  refund  the  balance  of  your  credit  for  the  buck- 
wheat flour  and  sugar  was  an  oversight  ^  |  on  our  part  and  I  wish  to 
apologize  for  it.  I  am  inclosing  with  my  letter  now  a  Treasurer's 
Draft  I  for  $1.26,  the  amount  due  you.^ 

Having  been  aible  to  secure  only  a  Umited  supply  |  of  buckwheat 
flour  and  sugar  from  time  to  time,  on  account  of  market  conditions, 
we  are  obliged  to  impose  certain  |  conditions  on  requests  for  these 
items.  We  limit  the  supply  on  each  order,  this  being  imperative  on 
account  of  the  |  circumstances  we  are  placed  in.  I  trust  you  will 
appreciate  our  position.^ 

At  the  present  time  our  supply  of  buckwheat  \  flour  is  exhausted, 
as  well  as  our  supply  of  Louisiana  molasses.  The  largest  amount  of 
sugar  we  could  ship  on  |  your  order,  taking  into  consideration  the 
other  groceries  ordered,  would  be  10  pounds.  On  that  account,  I  am 
sending  back  |  the  credit  due  you  in  preference  to  making  any  ship- 
ment.^ I  should  be  very  glad  to  have  you  place  a  |  new  order,  address- 
ing it  for  my  personal  attention.^ 

Very  truly  yours,      (19-1) 

1  Apology  to  angry  customer      2  Subject,  inclosure      3  Explanation      4  Suggests  further 
orders 

6 

Rev.  E.  J.  Lindsay, 

Des  Moines,  Iowa. 
Dear  Sir: 

I  am  very  sorry  indeed  that  everything  was  not  entirely  satis- 
factory as  regards  your  recent  order  and  apologize  |  for  the  mistake 
we  made  in  sending  you  remnants  instead  of  pongee,  and  only  one 
yard  of  mercerized  goods  instead  |  of  seven. ^ 

In  accordance  with  your  letter  of  February  9  we  take  pleasure 
in  inclosing  our  check  for  $3.03,  |  the  amount  you  remitted  on  your 
recent  order  for  the  pongee  and  mercerized  goods.- 

You  need  not  |  bother  to  return  the  articles  sent  to  you,  as  I 
feel  their  value  to  us  would  not  be  sufficient  to  |  put  you  to  that  trouble.^ 

I  can  readily  appreciate  the  disappointment  and  inconvenience 


CUSTOMER'S  ERROR  67 

you  experienced.     Much  better  success  is  expected  |  with  your  future 
orders.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (127) 

1  Apology  to  angry  customer    2  Subject    3  Cordial  allowance,  not  grudging    4  Suggests 
further  orders 

CUSTOMER'S  ERROR 

{These  require  special  tact  to  avoid  blaming  or  accusing  the  customer.) 

1 

Van  de.  Rogert  &  George, 
844  Grace  Street, 

Newport,  Rhode  Island. 
Gentlemen : 

The  size  desired  was  omitted  ^  from  your  order  for  K-365  1  pr. 
Gaiters.  Will  you  |  kindly  send  us  this  necessary  information  so  that 
we  may  release  the  order  for  immediate  filling?  ^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (39) 

1  Preferable  to  "You  omitted,"  because  reader  may  not  be  personally  at  fault    2  Shows 
desire  to  serve 

2 

INIorris  &  Co., 

Annapolis,  Maryland. 
Gentlemen : 

\\  e  have  your  order  for  Lumbermen's  Packs  and  1  Pr.  of  Gray 
Suede  Gloves.^  However,  the  size  desired  for  |  the  last  item  was 
omitted  and  we  are  holding  the  order  for  this  necessary  information.' 

^YiU  you  kindly  supply  it  |  so  that  we  may  release  the  order 
for  filling?  ^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (52) 

1  Acknowledgment    2  Action     3  Appeals  to  self-interest 

3 

Mr.  H.  K.  Hearn, 

Oshkosh,  Wisconsin. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  acknowledge  with  thanks  your  order  for  ^ 

One  Double  Truss,  Figure  23,  Doctor  Smith 
to  be  shipped  |  for  your  account  to  JNIr.  John  English,  Williamsport, 
Wisconsin." 

The  size  desired  was  not  included  with  your  order.     As  soon  | 


68  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

as  we  receive  this  we  will  ship  the  goods  to  your  customer.^    The  in- 
closed stamped  envelope  is  for  your  convenience.  | 

Yours  truly,     (62) 

1  Acknowledgment    2  Repeats  order    3  Appeals  to  self-interest 

4 

Goodrich  Drug  Company, 

WiUamet,  Wisconsin. 
Gentlemen : 

We  are  in  receipt  of  a  lot  of  Hygrometers  which  you  returned 
to  us.^  If  you  will  kindly  give  |  us  the  date  of  our  invoice  covering 
these  -  we  shall  be  in  a  position  to  make  a  prompt  adjustment.^ 

Yours  I  very  truly,     (42) 
1  Acknowledgment    2  Asks  necessary  data    3  Appeals  to  self-interest 

5 

Myers  &  Thome,* 

Jackson,  Mississippi. 
Gentlemen : 

In  response  to  your  letter  of  January  10  ^  we  inclose  duplicate 
invoices  of  your  Bicycle  orders  showing  the  correct  |  dating  as  re- 
quested.^ 

Won't  you  let  us  have  promptly  a  full  itemized  list  of  the  broken 
parts  referred  to  ^  and  |  complete  specifications  so  that  we  can  replace 
them.^ 

Then  we  shall  put  the  matter  right  through  for  you.* 

Yours  very  |  truly,      (61) 
1  Indirect  reference     2  Subject     3  List  was  omitted  by  mistake     4  Shows  desire  to  serve 

6 

Mr.  Fred  Walton, 

Crescent,  California. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  are  in  receipt  of  the  1/6  dozen  Goodrich  Hot  Water  Bottles, 
Syringe  attachment,  Red  #35,  |  which  you  sent  in.^ 

We  do  not  handle  these  goods  and  do  not  find  a  record  of  sliip- 

ping  them  |  to  you.^    Assuming  they  were  returned  to  us  in  error,  may 

we  ask  you  kindly  to  tell  us  what  disposition  |  to  make  of  the  goods.^^^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (68) 

1  Acknowledgment    2  Simple  statement  of  fact,  avoids  dangerous  statement,  "We  did  not 
ship"     3  Requests  action 


CUSTOMER'S  ERROR  69 

7 

Mr.  John  F.  Welch, 

110  East  Main  Street, 

Rochester,  New  York. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  are  inclosing  our  memorandum  of  credit  covering  the  items 
which  you  returned  with  the  exception  of  1  |  only  Taghabue  Ther- 
mometer. We  do  not  carry  this  in  stock  and  have  been  unable  to 
locate  our  charge  to  you  |  covering  it.^ 

Kindly  give  us  the  date  of  our  invoice  covering  this  item  and 
we  will  endeavor  if  possible  to  |  procure  a  credit  for  you.- 

■   Yom"s  very  truly,     (68) 

1  Probably  customer  obtained  it  from  another  firm    2  Shows  willingness  to  serve 


8 

Mr.  O.  R.  Madden, 

Geneva,  New  York. 
Dear  Sir: 

Apparently  there  is  some  mistake  about  the  goods  reported 
short  in  your  letter  of  March  18.^ 

We  have  |  no  record  of  shipping  you  anything  by  freight,  but 
the  goods  invoiced  to  you  on  February  23  by  American  |  Express  con- 
tained the  items  referred  to  in  yoiu-  letter;  for  instance,  Sanitol  Tooth 
Paste,  Herbs,  Mum,  Wright's  Pills,  etc.  A  |  duphcate  of  this  invoice 
was  sent  you  with  our  letter  of  the  11th.  We  hold  the  Express  Com- 
pany's receipt  for  |  these.    They  were  all  sent  in  one  large  box.^ 

Win  you  not  send  us  in  the  inclosed  stamped  envelope  a  |  com- 
plete list  of  the  goods  received,  so  as  to  aid  us  in  straightening  the 
matter  out.^  ^ 

Yours  truly,     (118) 

1  Courteous  statement  in  confused  situation     2  Simple  statements  of  fact    3  Courteous 
desire  to  serve 

9 

Mr.  F.  X.  Luther, 

Sacramento,  California. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  are  writing  again  ^  in  reference  to  order  #1231.  The  size 
desired  j  for  the  breeches,  sweater,  coat,  and  mackinaw  w^s  not  stated. 


70  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

Therefore,  these  items  are  being  held  awaiting  this  necessary  informa- 
tion I  from  you. 

Will  you  kindly  supply  it  so  that  the  order  may  be  released  for 
immediate  filling?  ~ 

Yours  very  truly,  |  (60) 

1  Customer  has  neglected  to  reply  or  letter  has  been  lost    2  Question  more  pointed  than 
declarative  sentence;   arouses  to  action 

10 

Hunter  L.  Perrine  &  Company, 

St.  Augustine,  Florida. 
Gentlemen : 

As  we  have  not  received  a  reply  to  our  letter  of  December  11 
requesting  that  you  furnish  us  with  |  a  noted  freight  bill  to  cover  the 
shortage  and  damage  which  you  cleiim  on  our  invoice  #105901,^  |  we 
are  taking  the  liberty  -  of  again  calling  this  matter  to  your  attention . 

You  are  very  |  likely  aware  of  the  fact  that  the  law  prohibits 
the  filing  of  a  claim  for  loss  or  damage  to  merchandise  j  in  transit 
after  six  months'  time  has  elapsed  after  the  shipment  was  delivered  to 
the  transportation  company.  It  is,  therefore,  |  absolutely  necessary 
that  you  let  us  have  this  noted  freight  bill  or  an  affidavit  to  cover  the 
shortage  and  damage  |  by  return  mail,  so  that  we  may  file  our  claim 
before  the  six  months  period  expires.^ 

Yours  very  truly,  |  (140) 

1  Repeats  unanswered  letter    2  Courtesy    3  Explanation  and  appeal  to  self-interest 

11 

Mr.  S.  W.  Brown, 

Oak  Park,  Illinois. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  acknowledge  with  thanks  receipt  of  your  order  of  June  14 
for  five  gallons  of  Alcohol.  We  are  |  unable  to  fill  the  order,  however, 
as  you  did  not  furnish  us  with  the  withdrawal  papers.^  In  case  you 
have  I  not  appUed  for  a  permit  we  are  inclosing  a  copy  of  the  new 
Alcohol  regulation  for  your  information. 

Promptly  upon  |  receipt  of  the  properly  signed  withdrawal 
papers  in  triplicate  we  shall  be  very  glad  to  make  shipment  of  the 
goods.2  I 

Yom-s  very  truly,     (83) 

1  Required  by  government  regulation     2  Shows  desire  to  serve 


CUSTOMER'S  ERROR  71 

12 
A.  J,  Porter  &  Rrothers, 

Laraniie,  ^\  yoniing. 
Gentlemen: 

We  are  obliged  to  return  for  correction  your  Narcotic  Voucher 
#M605475  I  covering  the  Narcotic  items  on  your  order  of  Septem- 
ber 15,  as  it  is  not  correctly  signed.^ 

The  Internal  Revenue  J  Department  requires  that  a  Narcotic 
Blank  must  show  an  indication  of  individual  responsibihty  in  tlft 
preparing  and  signing  of  these  |  vouchers.  We  are  inclosing  a  no- 
tice regarding  this  matter  from  the  Treasury  Department  Ruling 
No.  2344  I  for  your  information.^    i 

If  you  will  kindly  have  the  blank  completed  and  return  it  to  us 
in  the  inclosed  |  stamped  envelope  we  shall  be  very  glad  to  forward 
the  goods  at  once.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (116) 

1  Action  and  explanation    2  Further  information    3  Promises  action 


13 
Mrs.  H.  E.  McDonald, 

190  Brisbane  Avenue, 

Evans\'ille,  Indiana. 
Dear  ]\Iadam: 

We  thank  you  for  the  order  just  received,  but  regret  that  we 
are  unable  to  make  shipment  until  |  we  secure  further  information 
from  you.^ 

Since   all   our  fashion   goods,    cloaks,   suits,   millinery,    etc.,    are 
now  shipped  from  |  our  Central  Fashion  Department  in   New  York 
City,  charges  paid  by  us  to  your  town,  we  should  have  sent  your  | 
order  there  had  all  the  information  been  given.- 

We  are  returning  the  money  sent  us  for  these  goods  and  ask  | 
that  you  forward  it  to  "Montgomery  Ward  &  Company,  New  York 
City,"  sending  this  letter  and  adcUng  to  it  the  |  information  requested. ^ 

Yours  truly,     (104) 

1  Subject;    order  acknowledged  but  lield  up     2  Further  explanation     3  Request  for  action 


72  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

14 
Mrs.  D.  Madden, 

130  South  Giirry  Street, 
Omaha,  Nebraska. 
Dear  Madam: 

Thank  you  for  your  order,  which  has  been  promptly  shipped.^ 
We  were  unable  to  include  the  hair  goods  |  ordered,  as  no  sam- 
^e  was  found  ^  in  your  order.    No  charge  has  been  made  for  this  item 
and  we  are  |  inclosing  the  balance  due  you.^ 

We  shaU  be  pleased  to  have  you  re-order  the  hair  goods  on  the 
attached  order  |  blank.     Please  send  your  remittance  and  order  to- 
gether with  a  good  sized  sample  of  hair  you  wish  matched,  cut  out  | 
near  the  root  (not  combings).^ 

Yours  truly,      (87) 

1  Action     2  Avoids  blame;    sample  may  be  lost    3  Completes  the  handling  of  this  item 
4  Directions  for  re-order 


15 

Mr.  R.  L.  Francis, 

Ocean  City,  Florida. 
Dear  Mr.  Francis: 

I  am  certainly  sorry,  Mr.  Francis,  that  your  highly  appreciated 
business  with  us  has  not  been  handled  |  in  a  more  satisfactory  manner.^ 

It  seems  to  me  almost  inexcusable  that  your  wishes  could  not 
have  been  given  the  |  right  attention  in  the  past  and  as  I  am  particu- 
larly anxious  to  get  down  to  the  bottom  of  this  affair,  |  I  would  appre- 
ciate your  further  assistance.^ 

I  do  not  believe  the  records  which  I  have  been  able  to  locate 
are  |  conclusive  enough  to  give  you  the  information  which  you  desire. 
Inclosed  you  will  find  the  statements  I  have  been  able  |  to  obtain. 

I  dishke  very  much  having  to  put  you  to  any  further  trouble, 
but  feel  confident  you  will  appreciate  |  my  position  and  realize  1  have 
no  other  alternative  if  I  want  to  give  your  wishes  the  attention  which 
they  I  deserve.^ 

Will  you  please  write  me  on  the  opposite  side  of  this  letter  and 
tell  me  just  what  additional  information  |  you  want  "*  other  than  that 
which  I  have  inclosed.  For  your  convenience  in  answering,  I  send 
you   herewith   a   self-addressed  |  stamped   envelope,    and    assure   you 


CUSTOMER'S  ERROR  73 

that  just  as  soon  as  your  answer  is  received,  the  matter  will  be  given  | 
my  personal  attention. 

Yours  very  truly,      (206) 

1  Unusual  apology  to  very  angry  customer  2  Shows  desire  to  serve  3  Tactful  approach 
to  request  for  information  4  Customer's  complaint  was  not  clear,  as  is  often  true  of  angry 
letters 

16 

Mrs.  H.  Layton, 

Mobile,  Aleibama. 
Dear  Madam: 

Your  registered  letter  of  February  3,  relative  to  the  Remington 
Sewing  Machine  shuttle,  has  been  referred  to  me  |  for  attention.  If 
you  will  give  me  the  information  desired  on  the  opposite  side  of  this 
letter,  I  will  give  |  your  wishes  my  personal  attention  just  as  soon  as 
your  answer  is  received.^ 

There  are  three  models  of  the  Remington  |  Sewing  Machine  — 
numbers  1,  3,  and  5.  Tell  me  just  what  model  you  have  so  that  the 
proper  shuttle  can  |  be  sent  to  you.- 

I  am  very  sorry  this  matter  has  not  been  attended  to  sooner  anfl 
apologize  for  any  |  mistake  on  our  part. 

I  can  readily  appreciate  what  it  means  to  be  without  the  ser^ ices 
of  a  sewing  machine  j  in  a  home,  particularly  where  there  is  much 
sewing  to  be  done.^ 

Very  truly  yours,      (135) 
1  Oflers  prompt  action    2  Asks  information     3  Courteous,  personal  expression  of  regret 

17 
Mrs.  Howard  W.  Foote, 

Grand  Forks,  North  Dakota. 
Dear  Madam: 

I  am  sorry  your  recent  order  did  not  reach  you  in  a  more  satis- 
factory condition.  1 

If  you  will  I  tell  me  on  the  reverse  side  of  this  letter  just  what 
medicine  you  did  not  receive,  I  can  give  your  |  wishes  the  attention 
they  deserve.- 

Please  give  me  a  complete  copy  of  your  original  order  and  also 
send  back  the  |  invoice  sheets.  Just  as  soon  as  this  data  is  received, 
I  will  see  the  matter  is  given  prompt  attention.^ 

Wishing  |  you  a  Happy  Christmas,  I  am 

Very  truly  yours,     (89) 
1  Regret     2  Asks  information;    complaint  not  clear    3  Specific  request  and  offer  of  action 


74  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

Mr.  Will  FUnt, 

1236  Magnolia  Street, 

San  Jose,  California. 
Dear  Sir: 

Thank  you  for  your  new  order  invoice  830250. 

Before  taking  any  fiu-ther  |  action  regarding  the  battery,  Mr. 
Flint,  or  having  it  come  back,  I  wish  you  would  tell  me  on  the  opposite  | 
side  of  my  letter  the  exact  date  of  the  original  order,  and  the  amount 
of  money  sent  with  it.^  Then  |  possibly  we  could  arrange  to  have  the 
battery  come  back  or  send  you  a  new  one.  I  am  sure  some  j  satis- 
factory arrangement  can  be  made.^ 

Very  truly  yours,      (88) 

1  Data  necessary  before  adjustment  can  be  made     2  General  promise  of  satisfaction,  avoid- 
ing dangerous  promises 


19 

I\Ir.  W.  F.  George, 

1875  Fort  Street, 

Manistee,  Michigan. 
Dear  Sir: 

I  am  pleased  to  reply  to  your  letter  of  September  10,  and  to 
inform  you  that  we  are  |  in  a  position  to  furnish  you  at  the  present 
time  with  furnace  #581B,  price  $101.75,  |  f .  '  .  b.  Chicago.^  This  price 
is  the  latest  quotation  in  our  most  |  recent  Plumbing  &  Heating  cata- 
logue and  supersedes  the  quotations  in  all  our  other  books.^ 

You  did  not  mention  the  height  |  of  the  building  in  connection 
with  which  you  wish  to  use  this  furnace,^  but  for  your  information  I 
will  mention  |  that  it  is  large  enough  for  a  building  22  x  24  and  two 
stories  in  height. 

I  shall  I  be  glad  to  hear  from  you  again  and  to  render  any  further 
assistance  necessary. 

Separately,  I  am  sending  one  of  our  j  Plumbing  &  Heating  cata- 
logues. For  your  convenience  in  replying,  I  am  inclosing  one  of  my 
self-addressed  stamped  envelopes. 

Very  |  truly  yours,     (16-2) 

1  Subject     2  Customer    had    complained    of    finding   various    prices    quoted     3  Courteous 
mention  of  customer's  error 


CUSTOMER'S  ERROR  75 

20 

Little  Rock  Drug  Company, 

104  Grand  Avenue,  North, 
Little  Rock,  Arkansas. 
Gentlemen : 

jXIuch  as  we  regret  the  trouble  reported  in  your  letter  of  April  13 
with  regard  to  the  Flat  Iron  |  Cleaner,  we  do  not  feel  that  we  should 
be  called  upon  to  assume  any  loss  in  ttiis  connection  and  you  |  will 
doubtless  agree  with  us  when  you  recall  the  circumstances.^ 

On  March  6,  1917,  we  received  your  order  for  |  one  third  dozen 
packages  of  Flat  Iron  Cleaner  to  be  ordered  direct  from  the  manu- 
facturers at  Columbus,  Ohio,  if  we  j  did  not  have  them  in  stock.  We 
followed  your  instructions.- 

On  September  14  you  returned  to  us  sixty-four  packages  |  of 
this  cleaner  without  explanation.  We  ^^TOte  you  several  times  asking 
for  the  date  of  purchase  and  some  information  concerning  |  the  goods, 
but  received  no  reply  until  February  27,  1918.^ 

We  immediately  wrote  the  manufacturers,  but  they  refused  | 
to  accept  the  goods  for  return,  as  so  long  a  time  had  elapsed  since  the 
date  of  purchase.^     Had  you  |  informed  us  promptly  of  the  excess 
goods  received  we  could  have  made  an  adjustment.^ 

If  we  had  any  way  of  |  disposing  of  these  goods,  it  would  afford 
us  great  pleasure  to  put  ourselves  at  your  service,  but  as  the  article  | 
.is  entirely  out  of  our  regular  line,  it  would  be  dead  stock  to  us.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (217) 

1  Refuses  claim;    appeals  to  fairness  2,  3,  4  Chronological  plan     5  Shows  customer  at  fault 
6  Explains  impossibility  of  adjustment 

21 

Hoover  &  Hartwig  Company, 

jVIalone,  New  York. 
Gentlemen : 

We  are  in  receipt  of  your  letter  in  reply  to  our  letter  of  January  8. 

You  appreciate,  gentlemen,  that  |  it  is  our  wish  to  adjust  these 
matters  in  a  way  that  is  fair  to  our  customers  and  fair  to  |  ourselves 
as  well.^  We  try  to  adjust  matters  of  this  kind  by  making  an  allow- 
ance,, as  in  most  cases  our  |  merchant  friends  can  dispose  of  slightly 
damaged  articles  at  some  figure.  We  also  try  to  avoid  the  expense  of 
returning  |  items  unless  we  see  that  this  is  the  only  adjustment  possible.- 

We  do  not  wish  to  have  these  goods  returned,  |  because  our 


76  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION   EXERCISES 

records  are  clear  that  the  items  were  packed  in  good  condition  and 
the  damage  sustained  in  all  probability  |  is  due  to  rough  handling  by 
the  carriers.^  Ordinarily  we  would  file  claim  for  the  damage,  and  we 
shaU  do  I  so  in  this  case  unless  we  can  make  an  adjustment  with  you 
direct^'* 

Now,  will  you  please  tell  us  what  |  allowance  will  enable  you 
to  dispose  of  these  items?  On  the  other  hand,  if  you  refuse  to  consider 
such  an  |  adjustment  under  any  circumstances,  we  will  respectfully 
ask  that  you  prepare  an  affidavit  as  explained  in  the  attached  memo- 
randum and  I  send  it  to  us  together  with  your  paid  freight  bill,  so  that 
we  can  file  claim  in  your  behalf  against  |  the  carriers.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (225) 

1  Appeals  to  fairness  2  Explains  policy  3  Explains  action  in  present  case  4  General 
statement  of  action  desired  5  Requests  action.  Note  courteous  service  in  spite  of  angry 
and  unreasonable  letter 


22 

Mr.  J.  Roan, 

253  Pleasant  Avenue, 

Montgomery,  Alabama. 
Dear  Sir: 

An  inquiry  recently  directed  to  our  New  Orleans  Sample  House 
to  ascertain  the  reason  why  they  had  not  |  given  us  a  report  of  your 
return  shipment  of  tires  meets  with  a  reply  that  they  have  not  received 
any  |  tires,  nor  in  fact  have  they  received  a  notice  from  you  that  a 
shipment  had  been  returned.^ 

We  really  are  |  unable  to  understand,  Mr.  Roan,  the  unusual  busi- 
ness methods  which  you  are  now  employing.^  Have  we  not  met  your 
demands  |  to  the  very  fullest  extent,  even  though  in  doing  so  we  have 
sacrificed  not  only  a  great  deal  of  extra  j  time  in  carrying  your  ac- 
count, which  must  be  looked  upon  as  our  expense;  but  have  also 
sacrificed  a  real  profit  |  by  permitting  the  return  of  the  stock  which 
you  acknowledged  on  hand  on  the  occasion  of  the  last  visit  of  |  Mr. 
Dean?  ^ 

Please  understand  further  that  our  offer  to  accept  the  casings 
in  their  original  wrappings,  in  our  letter  of  |  December  19,  does  not 
hold  good  forever,  and  was  meant  to  apply  for  the  present  time  only.* 
We  are  not  |  interested,  to  tell  you  the  truth,  in  having  these  tires 
returned  to  us  except  as  a  means  of  avoiding  further  |  unpleasantness. 
But  if  you  do  not  attach  any  interest  to  this  matter,  why  should  we 


CUSTOMER'S  ERROR  77 

Style  IL  — RLOCK  STYLE  ADDRESS  AND  INDENTED 

PARAGRAPHS 

Note  also  points  of  style  of  executive  correspondence,  usually  written 
on  small  sheet. 


<!;^'«^%'.^.  W^Mner  Yr^yemAa/m 


T 


iccf-ao'  June  17,  ISi: 


Professor  Edward  K.  Gardner, 
The  University  of  Wisconsin, 
Uadieon,  Wisconsin. 

Dear  Professor  Gardner: 

For  a  long  time  I  have  known  of  your 
vital  interest  in  better  letters  and  the  great 
service  you  have  rendered  in  many  ways  to  us 
business  men  thereby.  I  feel  it  my  duty  as  well 
as  privilege  now  to  tell  you  how  glad  I  am  to 
leam  that  you  are  planning  a  dictation  book  for 
stenographers,  with  letters  based  on  modem  ideas. 

Business  correspondents  must  slough  off 
the  old  style  phrases  and  methods,  and  if  necessary 
muet  be  educated  to  better  methods.  To  this  end  Z 
have  prepared  a  Correspondence  ISanual  for  our  peo- 
ple, and  have  also  had  a  fling  at  poor  letters  in 
the  April  number  of  the  Central  Uanufacturing  Die- 
trict  Magazine,  from  which  1  take  the  liberty  of 
quoting. 

"Of  what  use  ie  it  to  select  the  finest 
bond  paper,  prepare  a  beautiful  letterhead,  hire 
the  most  capable  stenographer  to  be  found,  and  then 
make  use  of  the  antediluvian  style  of  dictation! 

"The  writer  must  confess  that  it  ie  a 
distinct  shock  to  him  to  receive  a  letter  which  io 
perfection  itself  in  all  the  material  essentiale, 
and  which  thereby  leads  him  to  anticipate  pleasant 
and  original  reading,  but  in  the  greatest  essential 
of  the  content  is  as  old-fashioned  as  it  would  be 
if  written  with  a  quill  pen  and  sealed  with  wax. 

"It  ie  even  more  of  a  shock  and  disap- 
pointment now  and  then  to  come  upon  a  manual  of 
correspondence  instruction  which  actually  gives  ac 
correct  and  advieable  letters  expreesed  in  such 
language.  That  ie  surely  a  caee  of  the  blind  try- 
ing to  lead." 

Thus  you  see  I  am  with  you  and  wish  you  well. 

Sincerely  yours. 


Assistant  to  the  i^ecutives. 


78  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION   EXERCISES 

go  any  further  out  of  |  the  way  to  avoid  unpleasantness,  much  though 
we  should  dishke  friction  between  us? 

This  letter  is  a  final  effort  to  |  close  the  transaction.  The  writer 
must  insist  upon  receiving  by  return  mail  the  bill  of  lading  at  Chicago 
for  the  I  casings  that  you  returned  in  their  original  wrappings,  together 
with  a  check  for  the  balance  due  us  of  $721.07,  |  deducting  the  credit 
to  which  you  are  entitled.^ 

If  we  do  not  hear  from  J  you  by  January  23,  we  shall  take  it  for 
granted  that  the  correspondence  is  closed,  and  shall  insist  upon  |  full 
settlement  of  the  account  in  cash.^ 

Yours  very  truly,      (330) 

1  Simple  statement  of  fact,  in  letter  to  careless  and  dishonest  customer     2  Mild  phrasing 

3  Appeals    to    fairness     4  New  topic    in    new  paragraph     5  Specific  demand     6  Definite 
warning 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  OPERATION 

1 

Mr.  T.  F.  Hefferan, 

Cody,  Wyoming. 
Dear  Sir: 

In  reply  to  your  letter  of  June  28,  we  believe  we  can  help  you 
get  service  out  |  of  your  engine.^ 

In  view  of  your  report  that  the  engine  w  ill  not  run  with  the  throttle 
valve  closed,  it  |  is  our  suggestion  that  you  remove  the  four  nuts 
hokhng  the  tank  to  the  mixer  and  let  the  tank  drop  j  downward.  Then 
remove  the  standpipe  with  the  check  valve  at  the  end,  and  take  out 
the  throttle  to  see  if  |  there  is  some  dirt  or  particle  which  prevents  the 
throttle  valve  from  seating  properly.  Be  sure  to  clean  this  out  |  thor- 
oughly and  also  examine  the  check  to  see  that  it  works  correctly.^ 

For  your  special  convenience  we  are  inclosing  copy  |  of  our 
latest  instruction  book.  We  suggest  that  you  read  this  very  carefully, 
for  it  contains  some  helpful  information  that  |  you  can  use  to  good 
advantage.^ 

After  you  have  had  an  opportunity  to  follow  the  above  sugges- 
tions together  with  the  |  information  given  in  the  instruction  book, 
please  write  us,  as  we  are  very  much  interested  in  knowing  that  you 
are  j  securing  good  results  in  the  use  of  this  engine.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (192) 

1  General  offer  of  service     2  Specific  directions    3  Refers  to  source  of  complete  information 

4  Offers  personal  service;    note  positive  ending 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  OPER.\TIOx\  79 


Mr.  Andrew  Sachs, 

Care  Johnson  Chemical  Company, 
Yonkers,  New  York. 
Dear  Sir: 

A  letter  such  as  yours  of  May  28  is  about  the  most  valuable 
kind  of  letter  that  |  we  can  receive.^ 

To  go  into  a  neutral  territory  and  establish  business  is  a  job 
we  Like,  but  to  go  |  into  the  office  of  a  dissatisfied  customer  and  es- 
tablish content  is  a  greater  pleasure  still.- 

I  can  hardly  continue  the  |  letter  without  just  mentioning  one 
regrettable  feature,  and  that  is  that  you  did  not  bring  this  matter  to 
our  attention  |  some  time  ago.  Now  you  have  been  obliged  to  dis- 
continue the  use  of  the  motor  and  to  lose  your  high  |  opinion  of  it,  and 
all  this  time  we  were  without  an  opportunity  to  rectify  the  diiiiculty.^ 

First,  I  should  hke  |  to  give  you  just  a  short  description  of  the 
proper  way  to  start  the  motor.  If  the  temperature  is  low,  [  it  might 
be  well  to  turn  the  carburetor  adjustment  wheel  a  turn  or  so  to  the 
left,  in  that  way  |  opening  up  the  needle  valve  and  allowing  a  greater 
charge  of  gasoline  to  enter  the  cylinder.  After  having  turned  this  | 
wheel  one  complete  turn  to  the  left,  or  a  turn  and  a  half,  raise  the 
draining  valve  on  the  bottom  |  until  the  gasoline  flows  freely  there- 
from, then  allow  this  valve  to  drop  back  into  place  and  make  five  or 
six  I  half  revolutions  of  the  flywheel  in  each  direction,  at  no  time, 
however,  passing  over  the  highest  point  of  compression.  That  |  is, 
take  tha  handle  and  turn  it  first  to  the  left  and  then  to  the  right  and 
back  again  several  |  times,  reversing  the  direction  at  the  time  you 
reach  the  highest  point  of  compression.  This  will  draw  the  charge  of  | 
gasoline  into  the  cylinder  preparatory  to  the  explosion.  After  this 
has  been  done,  turn  the  needle  valve  back  to  its  |  former  position,  and 
place  the  flywheel  handle  over  the  point  of  compression.  The  motor 
should  start  without  any  difficulty.* 

There  j  are  frequent  cases,  however,  where,  just  as  you  say,  the 
current  generated  by  the  magneto  is  insufficient  to  ignite  the  |  charge. 
We  have  a  booster,  that  is,  several  dry  cells  in  a  coil  which  can  be 
used  in  this  case  |  to  supply  the  electricity  to  ignite  the  first  charge 
and  get  the  motor  started.  Many  such  boosters  are  used  in  |  a  cli- 
mate extremely  low,  or  where  there  is  a  great  deal  of  fog  or  dampness. 


80  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

Such  an  attachment  would  cost  |  $2.00,  and  should  rectify  any  diffi- 
culty that  has  not  already  been  cleared  up.^ 

The  portability  of  the  Evinrude  motor  |  is  indeed  a  valuable 
feature,  as  well  as  its  simphcity  of  construction  and  the  resulting 
economical  operation.  These  features  of  |  the  Evinrude  should  re- 
engage your  interest,  and  we  hope  they  will.^ 

If  you  will  follow  the  instructions  given  above,  Mr,  |  Sachs,  we 
will  consider  it  a  favor  to  us.  I  want  particularly  to  impress  you  with 
the  fact  that  we  j  want  to  be  of  service  to  you,  that  we  want  the  Evin- 
rude motor  which  you  have,  to  regain  your  good  |  will  and  enthusiastic 
support,  as  it  should.  We  want  the  motor  to  be  satisfactory  in  every 
way  so  that  you  |  may  join  the  ninety  thousand  other  enthusiastic 
Evinrude  owners.  In  accomphshing  all  of  these  matters,  we  will  lend 
you  our  |  constant  co-operation.  I  am  only  sorry  that  you  did  not 
bring  tliis  matter  to  our  attention  before,  but  will  you  |  give  us  an 
opportunity  now  to  show  you  that  the  Evinrude  will  do  all  that  we 
have  claimed  for  it,  |  and  that  it  will  prove  to  be  the  universal  motor; 
that  it  will  serve  you  constantly  and  without  faltering.^ 

I  I  thank  you  for  caUing  this  matter  to  my  attention  and  you  may 
be  sure  your  next  letter  will  be  very  |  anxiously  awaited.  I  shall 
certainly  be  dehghted  to  know  that  the  suggestion  above  has  been  of 
value  to  you,  or  |  that  you  have  decided  to  give  the  booster  a  chance 
to  remove  the  difficulty  you  have  been  having.^ 

Yours  very  |  truly,      (661) 

1  Cordial  thanks  for  opportunity  to  adjust  2  Clever  language  arouses  interest  3  Shows 
sympathy;  assures  of  ability  to  help  4  Clear,  detailed  directions  5  Suggestion  of  further 
aid     6  Remainder  of  letter  "resells"  the  goods     7  Summary  and  request 


MISCELLANEOUS 

(Including  letters  anticipating  complaint.) 

1     - 

Mr.  Harry  Van  Holdman, 
341  Delaware  Street, 

Baltimore,  Maryland. 
Dear  Sir: 

Our  superintendent,  to  whom  we  sent  your  letter  about  operation 
of  signals,  says  he  agrees  with  you.^  He  |  then  adds.  "In  the  last  two 
months  we  have  employed  about  109  men,  and  have  lost  a  number  | 


MISCELLANEOUS  81 

of  men  of  four  or  five  years'  experience,  who  have  either  enlisted  or 
have  gone  to  work  at  the  Fore  |  River  Shipyards.  This  has  caused  a 
number  of  new  men  to  get  regular  work,  and  it  is  impossible  to  teach  | 
a  new  man  in  four  or  five  days  to  operate  C£irs  as  efficiently  as  the 
experienced  men."  He  also  adds,  |  "Everything  possible  is  being 
done  to  instruct  the  men."  ^ 

Under  these  conditions  we  feel  sure  that  you  will  forgive  the  | 
road  for  falling  short  of  giving  one  hundred  per  cent  service.  You  can 
understand  that  those  inexperienced  men  cannot  possibly  |  give  the 
service  given  by  the  old  men,  but  that  in  time  they,  too,  will  learn.^ 
If  conditions  do  not  |  improve  we  shall  be  grateful  to  you  if  you  will 
write  us  another  letter.^ 

Cordially  yours,     (176) 

1  Avoids  defending  the  company  first     2  Explains  difficulty     3  Appeals  to  fairness     4  Shows 
appreciation  of  complaint 

2 

Newskin  Company, 

882  Third  Avenue, 

Brookl^Ti,  New  York. 
Gentlemen : 

We  have  received  your  letter  of  March  8.^ 

It  wiU  not  be  necessary  to  furnish  a  second  lot  of  |  free  goods 
to  L.  H.  Mallow,  Detroit,  ^lichigan.^ 

This  customer  ordered  one  assortment  on  February  12.  We  were 
obliged  at  |  that  time  to  make  a  back  order  for  the  four  dozen  small 
size,  as  our  stock  was  temporarily  exhausted.  The  |  one  half  dozen 
21-size  was  sent  with  the  order  and  the  free  goods  ordered.  Our  order 
department  in  ]  shipping  the  four  dozen  small  size  increased  the  order 
so  that  our  customer  might  have  advantage  of  the  offer.  He  |  has 
returned  the  excess  goods  which  we  shipped.^ 

Thank  you,  however,  for  calling  this  matter  to  our  attention.* 

Yours  very  |  truly,      (121) 

1  Acknowledgment    2  Subject     3  Explanation     4  Appreciation 

3 

Mr.  F.  X.  Kerisy, 

West  Branch,  Iowa. 
Dear  Sir: 

In  compliance  with  yoiu*  instructions,^  I  am  to-day  ha\'ing  an 
order  entered  -  to  send  to  you  by  parcel  post,  |  one  tire  only  for  invahd 


82  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION   EXERCISES 

chair,  14  inches  in  diameter,  requiring  a  one-inch  tire.     Shipment  will 
go  forward  imder  |  invoice  687782.^ 

The  reason  I  suggested  your  returning  the  wheel  to  us  |  so  that 
the  tire  could  be  fitted  on,  was  because  I  thought  you  would  probably 
experience  some  difficulty  in  doing  |  this  yourself,  or  having  it  done 
locally.4 

Very  truly  yours,     (90) 

1  Reference     2  Action     3  Data     4  Explains   suggestion   made   in   preceding   letter;     cus- 
tomer had  resented  this 

4 

Mr.  F.  C.  Hancock, 
R.  F.  D.  #3, 

Olympia,  Washington. 
Dear  Sir: 

I  am  in  receipt  of  a  letter  from  your  neighbor: 
Miss  Ethel  Smith, 
Olympia,  Washington, 
R.  F.  D.  I  #3,  Rox  #52, 
relative  to  a  recent  order  she  placed  with  us,  in  which  she  informed 
me  I  that  you  experienced  dissatisfaction  on  a  recent  order.^ 

I  am  particularly  interested  in  ascertaining  the  cause  in  such 
cases  and  |  I  will  appreciate  your  teUing  me  on  the  opposite  side  of 
this  letter  just  what  the  trouble  was.^ 

We  serve  |  thousands  of  customers  satisfactorily  and  I  feel  sure 
we  can  fill  your  orders  in  a  manner  that  will  please  you.  |  Of  course, 
we  are  only  human  and  are  liable  to  make  mistakes  just  the  same  as 
anyone  else,  but  I  |  assure  you  whenever  this  is  the  case,  we  gladly 
rectify  any  errors.^ 

For  your  convenience  in  replying,  I  am  inclosing  |  a  self-addressed, 
stamped  envelope. 

Very  truly  yours,     (148) 

1  Source  of  information    2  Asks  for  complaint     3  Preferable  to  "This  will  never  happen 
again  " 

5 

Mrs.  T.  R.  Wells, 

189  Prairie  Street, 

Columbus,  Ohio. 
Dear  Customer: 

A  tremendous  increase  in  our  grocery  business,^  due  to  the  very 


MISCELLANEOUS  83 

unusual  market  conditions  caused  by  the  war,  |  makes  it  necessary 
for  us  to  limit  the  quantities  of  certain  items  sold  to  any  one  customer, 
as  explained  at  |  the  bottom  of  page  62  in  our  grocery  catalogue  for 
April.  We  are  forced  to  limit  ^  the  amount  of  |  flour  sent  with  any 
order  to  one  49-pound  sack. 

We  contracted  for  a  supply  of  flour  ^  that  under  |  normal  con- 
ditions would  have  been  more  than  sufficient  to  take  care  of  orders 
received  during  April,  May,  and  part  of  |  June,  allowing  four  19- 
pound  sacks  to  each  of  our  grocery  customers.  However,  conditions 
have  been  anything  but  normal  |  and  by  the  middle  of  April  prac- 
tically all  of  this  immense  supply  was  gone. 

We  cannot  buy  flour  from  the  |  mills  at  any  price  ^  in  other  than 
very  small  quantities.  In  order,  therefore,  to  make  sure  that  all  of 
our  I  grocery  customers  have  a  chance  °  to  get  a  moderate  quantity 
of  flour,  it  is  necessary  that  we  at  once  hmit  |  the  amount  sent  with 
any  order,  as  described  above. 

We  reahze  that  when  you  made  out  yoiu-  order  you  expected  | 
to  receive  all  the  flour  you  sent  for  and  will  probably  be  greatly  dis- 
appointed.^ Were  it  humanly  possible  we  would  |  much  rather  ship 
the  flour,  even  at  a  considerable  loss,  than  to  make  this  explanation. 
However,  you  may  rest  assured  |  that  all  our  customers  will  be  treated 
exactly  alike  and  that  none  will  receive  flour  other  than  as  described 
above.  |  Furthermore,  we  want  to  emphasize  as  strongly  as  possible 
the  fact  that  the  question  of  price  has  nothing  whatsoever  to  |  do 
with  our  action.  We  simply  cannot  buy  the  flour  from  the  mills  at 
ANY  PRICE  in  sufficient  quantities  to  |  take  care  of  the  unusual  demand.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (309) 

1  Begins  with  positive  phrase,  instead  of  2  negative  one  3  Shows  care  for  customer's 
interests  4  Shows  company  not  at  fault  5  Shows  fairness  to  all  6  Sympathy  7  Re- 
peats previous  statements;   last  sentence  emphasizes  most  important  point 


84  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 


ORDERS 

When  sending  or  acknowledging  orders,  be  careful  to  omit 
no  data  necessary  to  identify  the  goods  or  the  order,  to 
secure  shipment  at  the  time  and  in  the  manner  desired,  and 
to  arrange  for  payment.     Tabulation  of  items  is  preferable. 

1 

Mr.  A.  F.  Harris, 

241  Ocean  Avenue, 

Los  Angeles,  California. 
Dear  Mr.  Harris: 

Complying  with  your  request  of  March  23,  we  have  to-day  sent 
you  the  following:  ^ 

10  blocks  I  quadruplicate  order  blanks 
40  sheets  of  carbon  paper,  8|  x  11 
1  block  single  country  order  blanks  -  | 
The  advance  cards  we  were  unable  to  send  you  with  the  above, 
but  they  will  go  forward  at  the  earhest  |  possible  date.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (65) 

1  Action  first    2  Items  tabulated     3  Omissions 


Mallory,  Mitchell  &  Faust, 

26  Machson  Street, 

Chicago,  Illinois. 
Gentlemen : 

Please  arrange  to  have  forwarded  to  us  at  the  earhest  possible 
date  twenty  (20)  copies  of  the  following  papers: 


Publication  \ 

Location 

Date 

Farmer 

St.  Paul,  Minnesota 

May  11 

Wisconsin  Farmer 

Des  Moines,  Iowa 

May    9 

Nebraska  Farm  Journal 

Omaha,  Nebraska  | 

May  15 

Breeder's  Gazette 

Chicago,  Ilhnois 

May  16 

Iowa  Homestead 

Des  Moines,  Iowa 

May  16 

Farm  &  Ranch 

Dallas,  Texas  | 

May  18 

Farmer's  Guide 

Huntington,  Indiana 

May  25 

QUOTATIONS  85 

Hoard's  Dairyman  Fort  Atkinson,  Wisconsin  jMay  2 1 

Oklahoma  Farmer  Oklahoma  j  City,  Oklahoma  June  10 

Country  Gentleman  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania  June  15 

We  desire  to  have  these  for  the  immediate  use  of  |  our  salesmen. 

Very  truly  yours,     (105) 


QUOTATIONS 

Accuracy  and  completeness  are  highly  important  in  letters 
giving  quotations.  In  addition,  there  may  be  opportunity 
for  a  few  words  that  awaken  desire  or  lead  to  action. 

1 

Griller  &  Muscane, 

1489  Prospect  Avenue, 
W  aterloo,  Iowa. 
Gentlemen : 

Please  quote  your  best  figure  for  the  following  work:  ^ 

"Labor  and  material  for  forming  tin  gutters  for  footlights  in  | 
the  Women's  Building,  the  gutters  to  be  lined  with  IC  bright  tin  to 
form  reflectors.      At   each   electric  outlet  |  leave   openings   for   wires. 
The  tin  will  be  fastened  smoothly  to  the  woodwork  forming  the  sides 
of  the  stage.    All  |  should  be  as  directed  by  the  Architect."  ^ 

We  should  appreciate  hearing  from  you  at  once.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (78) 

1  Subject     2  Specifications     3  Asks  action 

2 
The  BeKddere  Brewing  Company, 

Trenton,  New  Jersey. 
Gentlemen : 

As  requested  by  your  letter  of  ]\Iay  9,^  we  arc  pleased  to  extend 
you  the  following  quotation  on  Keg  |  Scrubber  W  heels:  - 
IVIold  10622,  Grade  GJCJ 
Set  of  4  wheels  $25.00  |  per  set.^ 
Terms  —  2  %  1.0  days,  30  days  net."* 

Delivery  —  freight  paid  to  destination  on  100  |  pounds  or  more; 
smaller  quantities  f.  o.  b.  Akron.     We  prepay  no  express  charges.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (77) 

1  Reference     2  Subject     3  Price     4  Terms     5  Delivery 


86  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION   EXERCISES 

3 

F.  E.  Cogeshall  &  Sons, 

514  Hackett  Street, 

Milwaukee,  Wisconsin. 
Gentlemen : 

We  have  just  received  your  letter  of  March  11,^  and  in  reply 
take  pleasure  in  inclosing  our  price  hst  |  -  for  kick  plates  giving  quota- 
tions for  various  gauges,  sizes,  and  finishes,  with  discount  45  %  f.  o.  b.  j 
Chicago.     This  discount  does  not  apply  to  the  prices  at  the  bottom 
of  the  page  for  bevehng,  which  are  net.  |  ^ 

We  carry  in  stock  a  full  hne  of  both  sheet  brass  and  bronze  es- 
pecially selected  for  kick  plates  in  both  |  No.  16  and  No.  14  gauge  and 
are  prepared  to  fill  orders  promptly  ."^ 

Yours  truly,     (95) 

1  Reference     2  Subject     3  Makes  exception     4  Urges  action 

4 

Gray  &  Gramling, 

139  Wells  Building, 

Youngstown,  Ohio. 
Gentlemen: 

In  reply  to  your  letter  of  February  14,  we  take  pleasure  in  quot- 
ing you  ^  our  N.  L.  C.  Warranted  |  50-50  bar  Solder  in  500  lb.  lots 
at  20|^  a  lb.  T.  o.  b.  |  Chicago,  terms  30  days  net  or  2%  for  each  in 
ten  days,  subject  to  reply  by  return  mail,  |  or  change  without  notice, 
on  account  of  the  uncertain  condition  of  the  metal  market.^ 

May  we  not  be  favored  with  |  your  order?  ^ 

Yours  truly,     (84) 

1  Subject    2  Data    3  Asks  action 

5 

Wisconsin  Drug  &  Jewelry  Company, 

Madison,  Wisconsin. 
Gentlemen : 

From  the  inclosed  price  bulletin  ^  you  will  be  able  to  determine 
prices  ^  on  your  order  of  December  13  received  j  through  Mr.  Johnson 
for  100  pounds  Bordeaux  Mixture  and  75  pounds  Arsenate  of  Lead 
Paste.^ 

We  have  just  |  received  this  information  from  the  manufacturers 
and  were  imable  to  supply  you  with  it  before.* 


QUOTATIONS  87 

Will  you  not  give  us  |  specifications  on  this  order  at  once  so  that 
we  may  be  able  to  make  shipment  on  April  1  as  you  |  requested?  ^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (84) 

1  Inclosure    2  Subject     3  Reference    4  Explains  delay     5  Asks  action 

6 

Messrs.  Smith  Brothers, 

Des  Moines,  Iowa. 
Gentlemen: 

We  thank  you  for  your  order  of  April  4  for  scrapers  and  wire 
nails  which  we  have  given  prompt  |  attention.  The  goods  will  be 
delivered  to  the  transportation  company  to-day. 

We  can  at  this  time  make  immediate  shipment  of  |  REV-0- 
NOC  electric  washing  machines.  We  are  pleased  to  quote  you  on  the 
#28  REV-O-NOC  |  for  alternating  current  at  $280.00  per  dozen.  The 
#29  for  direct  current  at  $480.00  |  per  dozen.  The  #32  for  alternating 
current  at  $540.00  per  dozen. 

The  #32  I  is  carried  in  stock  for  alternating  current  of  110  volts 
and  60  cycles.  On  any  other  |  current  factory  shipment  would  be 
made  with  a  slight  delay. 

In  ordering  these  machines  it  is  necessary  that  we  know  |  the 
number  of  volts,  whether  your  current  is  alternating  or  direct,  and 
if  alternating  current,  the  number  of  cycles  as  |  well  as  the  voltage. 

The  prices  named  above  are  for  immediate  acceptance  only  and 
subject  to  stock  on  hand. 

Yours  I  very  truly,     (182) 

7 

The  Hammond  Corporation, 
157  Main  Street, 

Detroit,  Michigan. 
Gentlemen : 

YOUR  ORDER    A-9199  ^ 
DEPT.  18-D 

In  our  letter  of  May  7  reference  |  RMS-GS-XE-743,-  we  wrote 
you  asking  if  it  would  l)e  satisfactory  |  to  enter  your  order  at  the 
revised  price,  i.  e.,  $9.90  per  M  ft.  net.^ 

Up  I  to  date,  we  have  received  no  reply. 

We  are  now  in  receipt  of  your  order  A-10082,  |  of  May  10,  call- 


88  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

ing  for  2,000  ft.  of  the  same  material  for  which  you  have  the  same 
price  as  |  order  A-9199,  $9.50. 

Will  you  please  also  instruct  us  whether  |  it  will  be  satisfactory 
to  enter  this  order  at  $9.90  per  M  ft.  net. 

Yours  very  |  truly,      (I4i) 

1  Reference  to  order     2  File  number     3  Note  chronological  arrangement  and  simple,  clear 
statements  of  fact 

8 

The  Lowell  Railway  Company, 

Boston,  Massachusetts. 
Gentlemen : 

We  take  pleasure  in  quoting  you  price  and  delivery  on  item  listed 
in  your  inquiry  of  May  10.^ 

10,000  j  ft.  of  16  Twisted  Pair,  Rubber  insulated,  Copper  Wire, 
as  your  specifications  EE393,  $20.80  |  net  per  M  ft.- 

We  can  make  shipment  complete  in  approximately  twelve  weeks 
after  receipt  of  |  your  order.^ 

Dehvery  f.  o.  b.  cars  Akron,  with  full  freight  allowed  or  prepaid 
to  Boston,  Massachusetts,  on  freight  shipments  |  weighing  100  lbs. 
and  over,  express  shipments  f.  o.  b.  shipping  point.^ 

Terms  of  payment  are  due  net  in  |  30  days,  with  a  discount  of 
1  %  if  paid  within  10  days  from  date  of  invoice.'' 

Due  to  I  the  fluctuating  conditions  of  the  markets  for  new 
material,  the  above  price  is  subject  to  change  without  notice.^ 

Yours  very  |  truly,  (ui) 

1  Subject    2  Quotation    3  Shipment    4  Delivery     5  Terms     6  Special  provision 

9 

Mr.  Nelson  Harrington, 
89  Lauton  Street, 

Zanesville,  Ohio. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  are  forwarding  to  you  to-day  samples  ^  of  the  Teas  which 
we  mentioned  when  you  were  in  the  |  office  last  week: 

S.  D.  Japan,  ^  Standard  68 48 

India,  "         6004 1.35  | 

Oolong,  "         5028 1.10 

EngUsh  Breakfast,         "         7008  | 85  2 

If  you  will  use  these  Teas  as  suggested,  we  believe  you  can  make 
a  big  record  for  |  yourself  in  ZanesviUe  and  vicinity,  and  should  be 


QUOTATIONS  89 

able  to  get  orders  for  at  least  five  pounds,  as  the  kind  |  of  trade  that 
would  buy  these  Teas  would  gladly  take  them  in  five-pound  lots.' 
The  Oolong  Tea  is  packed  |  in  original  chests  of  five  pounds  each. 

We  wish  you  the  best  of  success  with  these.     With  kindest  re- 
gards,^ 

Yours  I  truly,     (Hi) 

1  Subject    2  Quotation    3  Sales  suggestion     4  Courtesy 


10 

JVIiller  &  Staudman, 

1  Brattle  Street, 

Cambridge,  Massachusetts. 
Gentlemen : 

Prices  on  Common  or  Commercial  grade  of  Sisal  Rope  and  Lath 
Yarn  except  as  against  contracts  of  record  have  |  advanced  |^  per  lb. 
above  old  basis  price  on  file,  f.  o .  b.  New  York,  with  the  usual  |  dif- 
ferentials against  Lath  and  ^  Fodder  Yarn  to  apply,  to  wit: 
Tarred  Fodder  Yarn,  #2  or  Common,  21 

&  I  21  oz.,  1^  below  Sisal  Rope  basis 

Tarred  Fodder  Yarn  #2  or  Common,  18 

oz..  Sisal  I  Rope  basis 

Tarred  Lath  Yarn,  110  and  130  end,  ^^  below  Sisal  Rope  basis  | 

Tarred  Lath  Yarn,  200  end.  Sisal  Rope  basis  - 

This  ad^  ance  in  price  also  applies  to  Common  and  Commercial 
grades  |  of  Hay,  Hide,  and  Bale  Rope  and  their  differentials  as  they 
may  apply.  On  Pure  Sisal  and  Manila  products,  no  |  change  in  price 
is  noted.  The  revision  in  price  affects  only  the  low-grade  Sisal  Ropes 
and  Yarns.' 

Orders  on  |  hand  will  be  protected  if  sent  in  immediately  for 
prompt  shipment,  as  the  revised  price  becomes,  effective  at  once.^ 

Yours  I  truly,     (181) 

1  Subject     2  Quotation     3  Further  information     4  Urges  action 


90  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 


CLAIMS   AGAINST   RAILROADS 

When  handling  claims  for  customers,  it  is  necessary  to 
remember  that  though  the  matter  may  seem  a  small  one 
or  a  mere  routine  item  to  the  writer,  it  may  be  important 
or  annoying  to  the  customer. 

1 

Western  Drug  Store, 

Omaha,  Nebraska. 
Gentlemen : 

In  compliance  with  your  request  we  have  entered  a  claim  ^  against 
the  American  Express  Company  for  the  amoimt  of  |  58  cents,  covering 
the  6  dozen  Sanford's  Ink,  which  was  broken  in  our  shipment  to  you 
to  February  j  28.^  We  will  credit  your  account  with  this  promptly 
upon  receipt  of  an  adjustment  from  the  Express  company .^ 

Yours  I  very  truly,      (62) 
1  Subject    2  Data     3  Courteous,  positive  ending 

2 

Vermont  Central  Railroad  Company, 

Burlington,  Vermont. 
Gentlemen : 

In  compKance  with  your  letter  of  March  13,  File  C-8489-13,  I 
am  I  inclosing  an  itemized  bill  from  Fairbanks  Morse  &  Company, 
also  paid  freight  bill  covering  the  five  Scales.^  The  original  bill  |  of 
lading  was  furnished  with  the  original  claim. 

I  trust  these  papers  will  enable  you  to  make  a  prompt  settle- 
ment I  of  the  claim.- 

Yours  very  truly,     (66) 

1  Subject;   inclosure     2  Suggests  action 

3 

Freight  Agent,  Lackawanna  Railroad, 

Scran  ton,  Pennsylvania. 
Dear  Sir: 

In  compliance  with  your  request  of  December  8,  we  send  here- 


CLAIMS  AGAINST  RAILROADS  91 

with  copy  of  our  bill  of  lading  926903  |  covering  shipment  of  August 
2,  to  Sam  March,  of  your  city.^ 

Inasmuch  as  |  consignee  has  a  just  claim  for  damage,  we  will 
respectfully  ask  that  you  arrange  to  prepare  a  freight  bill  so  |  that  we 
can  properly  proceed  with  claim  in  liis  behalf.- 

Will  you  please  have  this  issued  and  give  it  to  ]  Mr.  ^March  as 
quickly  as  possible?  ^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (89) 

1  Inclosure     2  Asks  action     3  Emphasizes  promptness 


4 

C.  J.  Lundstrom,  Claim  Agent, 

New  York  Central  Railroad  Company, 
Chicago,  Illinois. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  authorize  you  to  cancel  our  claim  ^  of  December  12,   1917, 
for  one  dozen  Alkalol,  eight  ounce,  j  which  was  short  in  shipment  from 
the  Alkalol  Company,  Taunton,  JVIassachusetts,  on  October  26  to  us.^ 
The  goods  have  |  since  been  received.^ 

Yours  truly,     (45) 

1  Subject;  cancellation  of  claim    2  Data    3  Explanation 


Patrick  F.  E.  Yoimg  Co., 

900  B>Td  Street, 

Richmond,  Virginia. 
Gentlemen : 

We  are  glad  to  inform  you  that  we  have  succeeded  in  obtaining 
a  settlement  ^  from  the  Adams  Express  Company  |  covering  the  20 1 
gallons  R.  C.  Syrup  and  express  charges  which  was  lost  in  our  shipment 
to  I  you  of  January  23,  1918.2 

We  are  placing  the  amount  $23.18  to  your  |  credit  on  our  books.^ 

Your  claim  for  damage  to  the  shipment  of  February  10  wiU  be 
taken  |  up  fully  in  a  later  letter,  but  it  is  receiving  our  attention  and 
we  expect  to  be  able  to  make  |  a  satisfactory  adjustment.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (103) 

1  Subject     2  Data    3  Fm-ther  action     4   Provisional  answer  on  other  subject 


92  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

6 

Williamson-Halsell-Frazier  Co., 

1-7  West  First  Street, 

Oklahoma  City,  Oklahoma. 
Gentlemen : 

We  are  sending  you  the  freight  bill  covering  our  shipment  of 
February  2,  and  shall  appreciate  your  having  the  |  shortage  of  one 
box  of  Cigars  noted  thereon  by  the  agent.^  We  regret  the  necessity  of 
troubling  you  in  this  |  matter,  but  we  wish  to  enter  a  claim  against  the 
railway  company  for  the  loss  and  need  this  notation.^ 

We  I  shall  be  glad  of  any  assistance  you  may  give  us  in  this 
matter  and  are  inclosing  a  stamped  envelope  for  |  your  convenience 
in  replying.^ 

Yours  very  truly,      (87) 

1  Refers  to  inclosure  and  asks  action    2  Explanation    3  Emphasis  on  action 

7 

Mr.  A.  D.  Logern, 

18  South  Lawn  Avenue, 

Everett,  Massachusetts. 
Dear  Sir: 

If  you  will  kindly  send  us  an  itemized  list  ^  of  the  merchandise 
contained  in  the  one  case  of  |  notions  reported  short  in  your  letter 
of  January  9,  we  shaU  file  a  prompt  claim  with  the  railroad  for  this  | 
loss  as  well  as  for  the  broken  rocker  from  the  same  shipment.- 

We  thank  you  for  sending  your  noted  expense  |  bill  and  we 
shall  be  glad  to  have  this  other  necessary  information  so  as  to  gixe 
you  prompt  service.^ 

Yours  I  very  truly,      (8  2) 

1  Replies  to  letter   by  asking  action     2  Shows  desire  to  serve     3  Emphasizes  request  for 
action;    appeals  to  self-interest 

8 

W.  T.  Kilborn  Co., 

24  Free  Street, 

Portland,  Maine. 
Dear  Sir: 

As  soon  as  we  receive  your  express  bill  ^  we  shall  take  pleasure 
in  filing  a  prompt  claim  against  |  the  express  company  for  the  Rug 


CLAIMS  AGAINST   RAILROADS  93 

3353-8  reported  in  your  letter  of  November  11  |  as  short  from  our 
shipment  11917.- 

W  on't  you  please  let  us  have  this  document  immediately  |  so 
that  we  can  get  right  to  work  on  this  claimP  ^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (74) 

1  Asks  action     2  Refers  to  data     3  Cordial,  informal  language 


9 

Mr.  J.  W.  Beck, 

Post  Office  Inspector, 

Milwaukee,  Wisconsin. 
Dear  Mr.  Beck: 

I  haAe  received  your  letter  of  January  4,  relative  to  a  quantity 
of  parcel  post  mail  having  |  been  damaged  by  fire  in  the  Chicago  & 
Minneapolis  RPO  train  55  and  turned  in  to  the  |  Postmaster  at  St. 
Paul,  Minnesota.^ 

The  two  packages  you  refer  to  as  ha\ing  been  shipped  by  us 
consigned  as  follows,  | 

Miss  Alice  Mayer, 

Red  Wing,  JMinnesota, 
Order  No.  352899, 

Miss  Margaret  Olds,  | 

Rochester,  Minnesota, 
Order  No.  306930, 

have  not  been  complained  about  ^  as  far  as  we  |  are  able  to  ascertain 
at  this  writing. 

It  may  be  that  the  records  in  the  matter  have  not  as  yet  |  been 
returned  to  our  files.  Consequently  we  are  writing  the  consignees 
to-day  and  just  as  soon  as  their  answers  are  |  received,  you  will  be 
notified  accordingly.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (149) 

1  Acknowledgment     2  Subject;  answers  question     3  Further  action 


94  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION   EXERCISES 


TRAFFIC   DEPARTMENT  LETTERS 

Letters  of  this  class  which  are  clear  and  courteous,  and 
which  omit  no  opportunity  for  giving  the  matter  individual 
rather  than  routine  attention,  have  the  best  chance  of 
receiving  prompt  attention. 


1 

Bradbury  Bros.  Heating  Co., 

1219  Stout  Street, 

Denver,  Colorado. 
Gentlemen : 

Complying  with  your  letter  of  May  11,  we  have  notified  the 
Adams  Express  Company  that  you  are  still  short  |  one  roll  from  the 
shipment  of  seven  rolls,  cases  No.  77125  to  No.  77131  [  forwarded  under 
date- of  March  15.^ 

We  hope  they  will  be  able  to  find  j  the  missing  roll;  however,  if 
it  is  not  dehvered  soon,  we  suggest  that  you  enter  claim.- 

Very  truly  yours,      (79) 

1  Subject     2  Suggests  further  action 


R.  D.  Lane,  Manufacturing  Company, 

456  Stanley  Street, 

Jamestown,  New  York. 
Gentlemen : 

As  requested  in  your  letter  of  May  9,  initials  A.E.C.-W.  we 
shall  be  glad  to  ask  |  the  Railroad  Comj^any  to  trace  ^  shipment  of 
April  3  to  the  Lone  Star  Gas  Company,  Fort  Worth,  Texas,  applying 
on  I  your  order  No.  80205.^ 

Please  notify  your  customer  of  our  action  and  ask  them  to  bring  | 
the  matter  up  again,  if  shipment  is  not  delivered  within  a  reasonable 
time.3 

Very  truly  yours,      (7G) 

1  Subject     2  Data     3  Asks  action 


TRAFFIC   DEPARTMENT  LETTERS 


Mr.  W.  S.  Dickey,  Agent, 

Wells  Fargo  &  Company  Express, 
Lynn,  jNIassachusetts. 
Dear  Sir: 

SHIPMENT   DECEMBER    12,    1917 
GREEN    HILL   FARMS,    FOOT   OF   EAST 
26th    STREET,    NEW    YORK    CITY    FOR   | 
NEW   ORLEANS,    LOUISIANA.^ 

The  above  shipment  which  consisted  of  one  case,  weight  16 
pounds,   charges  collect  case  No.   79623  |  has  not  been  deUvered.- 

\Ve  had  a  notice  from  one  of  your  New  York  |  Offices  in  Decem- 
ber to  the  effect  that  shipment  was  undehvered  on  account  of  bad 
roads  but  we  have  since  been  |  unable  to  determine  just  where  it  is 
being  held.^ 

Will  you  please  take  the  matter  up  at  once  and  let  |  us  know 
just  as  soon  as  possible  what  disposition  was  made  of  the  case!'* 

Very  truly  yours,     (117) 

1  Reference     2  Subject     3  Further  data     4  Asks  action 


Mr.  C.  E.  Rhodes,  Agent, 

Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company, 
Warren,  Pennsylvania. 
Gentlemen : 

We  acknowledge  receipt  of  your  letter  of  May  9  and  are  sorry  to 
learn  that  you  have  been  unable  |  to  find  any  record  of  the  shipment 
of  Insulated  Copper  Wire  forwarded  to  Oscar  Helmar  of  ^^  arren, 
Pennsylvania,  under  date  |  of  July  31.^ 

We  wish  to  call  .attention,  however,  to  our  letter  of  May  9, 
v.herein  we  informed  you  |  that  this  shipment  went  to  Warren,  Ohio, 
and  was  re-forwarded  from  there  on  way-bill  No.  545  |  of  August  21, 
1917.2 

Possibly  this  additional  information  will  enable  you  to  find 
record  of  the  arrival  of  |  this  reel.    Will  you  please  inform  us?  ^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (iio) 

1  Subiect     2  Further  data     3  Asks  action 


96  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION   EXERCISES 


Mr.  F.  P.  Burling,  Purchasing  Agent, 
VVabash  Railway  Company, 
St.  Louis,  Missouri. 
Dear  Sir: 

Your  letter  of  May  1,  File  2850-M} 
We  shall  have  to  acknowledge  ourselves  |  at  fault  in  sending  the 
shipment  referred  to  by  American  Express  and  not  by  Wells  Fargo 
as  directed.-     Your  instructions  |  were  not  noted  when  the  order  was 
entered.^ 

We  shall  try  to  be  more  careful  in  routing  future  shipments.* 

Yours  I  truly,     (6i) 

1  Reference    2  Subject    3  Explanation     4  Courtesy 

6 

Lee  Brothers  Trucking  Company, 

Haverhill,  Massachusetts. 
Gentlemen : 

Haverhill  Welding  Company} 

In  response  to  your  letter  of  May  13  we  find  from  our  records  of 
April  9,  I  that  the  33  packages  weighing  1018  pounds  consigned  as 
above  were  signed  for  by  Irvine  or  |  Iroine,  as  nearly  as  we  can  make 
out  the  name.- 

We  presume  you  wiU  be  able  to  tell  from  this  |  which  one  of  your 
drivers  receipted  for  the  shipment.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (72) 

1  Reference  to  consignee    2  Subject    3  Avoids  abrupt  ending 

7 

Mr.  C.  H.  Sterling,  General  Agent, 

A.  C.  &  Y.  Railway  Company, 
Akron,  Ohio. 
Dear  Sir: 

Under  date  of  April  4  we  forwarded  in  D.  L.  &  W.  car  No.  35464  | 
consigned  to   L.  P.  Rose  &  Company,    17   Battery   Place,  New   York 
City  via  A.  C.  &  |  Y.,  W.  &  L.  E.  cars  of  N.  Y.  C."  a  shipment  consist- 
ing of  one  case  No.  54741  |  weigliing  260  lbs.  intended  for  Wilmerding, 


TRAFFIC   DEPARTMENT   LETTERS  97 

Limited,  St.  Johns,  Newfoundland.^     According  to  information  we  | 
have  just  received  from  New  York  this  shipment  has  not  yet  been 
delivered.- 

\\e  request,  therefore,  that  you  please  start  |  an  immediate 
tracer  after  this  car  and  inform  us  promptly  what  record  you  have  of 
delivery  in  New  York  so  |  that  we  may  take  the  matter  up  further 
with  our  Forwarding  Agents.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (135) 
1  Data    2  Subject    3  Asks  action 

8 

Pacific  and  Oriental  Steamship  Compgmy, 

81  Broadway, 

New  York  City. 
Gentlemen : 

Please  refer  to  your  letter  dated  May  2,  File  A-395  in  regard  to 
shipments  for  |  British  India  points  covered  by  BiUs  of  Lading  Nos. 
3003,  3004,  3005,  and  3006  ^  |  and  inform  us  whether  you  are  now  in 
a  position  to  give  us  definite  advices  as  to  whether  |  these  shipments 
will  actually  clear  on  steamer  "Colusa"  as  stated  in  your  letter.' 

We  are  extremely  anxious  to  learn  that  |  you  were  able  to  ac- 
complish this  and  your  prompt  advices  in  this  connection  will  cer- 
tainly be  appreciated.^ 

Yours  very  truly,  |  (lOO) 

1  Reference    2  Subject    3  Emphasizes  action 

9 

E.  F.  ]\Ialfinson  &  Company, 

85  John  Street, 

New  York  City. 
Gentlemen : 

We  inclose  shipping  instructions,  shipper's  export  declaration, 
and  two  copies  of  packing  list  covering  188  bales  |  of  Rubber  Hose 
intended  for  Eraser  &  Chalmers,  East  London,  South  Africa.^  This 
shipment  was  forwarded  to  our  New  York  |  Branch  by  Erie  Freight 
on  April  30  as  a  domestic  consignment  .- 

The  export  license  covering  this  shipment  has  already  been  | 
sent  to  our  New  York  people.    Just  as  soon  as  an  opportunity  for  for- 
warding presents  itself,  we  suggest  that  you  |  get  in  touch  with  our 


98  CONSTRUCTIVE    DICTATION    EXERCISES 

New  York  Branch  so  that  the  proper  dehvery  can  be  made  in  accord- 
ance with  your  |  instructions.^ 

Yours  very  truly,      (104) 

1  Subject     2  Data     3  Asks  action 


10 

Caldwell  &  Company, 

190  Market  Street, 

Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania. 
Gentlemen : 

We  wrote  you  on  April  23  and  again  on  May  6  ^  requesting  that 
you  furnish  us  with  actual  |  clearance  advices  covering  our  shipments 
of  January  16  consisting  of  two  cases  Nos,  43446  |  and  47  for  the 
Indies  Iron  &  Steel  Company,  Havana,  Cuba,  and  two  packages  Nos. 
66936  I  and  68133  for  Mason  Brothers,  Limited,  Buenos  Ayres.^ 
We  regret  exceedingly  |  that  it  is  necessary  for  us  to  write  you  re- 
peatedly for  this  information.  As  we  are  extremely  anxious  to  close  | 
our  file  on  the  subject  we  must  insist  upon  your  furnishing  us  this 
information  without  further  delay.^ 

We  have  requested  |  you  repeatedly  to  furnish  us  with  a  copy 
of  ocean  bill  of  lading  covering  each  and  every  shipment  forwarded 
for  I  our  accoimt  and  we  can  see  no  reason  whatever  why  this  was 
not  done  in  tliis  particular  case.^ 

Kindly  look  |  into  the  matter  immediately  and  favor  us  with  a 
prompt  reply  .^ 

Yours  very  truly,      (174) 

1   Subject,   neglected   correspondence       2   Data      3   Asks   action       4   Emphasizes   annoy- 
ance     6   Emphasizes  action 


CREDIT   AND   COLLECTION  99 


CREDIT   AND   COLLECTION 

Before  an  order  can  be  shipped,  the  credit  manager  must 
have  information,  either  from  the  customer  himself  or  from 
houses  that  have  sold  him  goods,  showing  that  he  has 
the  "character,  capacity,  and  capital"  that  enable  him 
to  pay  his  bills.  Then  the  customer  is  given  a  ''line  of 
credit,"  that  is,  he  is  allowed  to  order  goods  up  to  a  cer- 
tain amount.  Changes  in  his  business,  or  orders  larger  than 
the  "line"  agreed  on,  require  fm'ther  investigation  to  see 
whether  his  credit  is  still  "good,"  or  is  good  for  the  increased 
amount.  Meanwhile,  his  orders  may  be.  held,  or  shipped 
with  a  warning.  He  must  pay  within  the  time  specified 
by  the  terms  of  the  house.  He  may  be  able  to  secure  an 
extra  discount  by  very  prompt  payment;  this  benefits  both 
buyer  and  seller. 

In    credit    and  collection  letters,  cordiality,  friendliness, 
the  desire  to  serve,  and  appeals  to  good  will,  co-operation, 
and  self-interest,    produce  better    results  than  harshness. 
When  severity  becomes  necessary,  it  can  be  used  with  evi- 
dent regret. 

REQUEST   FOR   CREDIT   INFORMATION  FROM   THE 
TR.\DE   AND   FROM   SALES.MEN 

1 

INIr.  E.  H.  WeUeU, 

Irving  Avenue, 

Zanes\'ille,  Ohio. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  have  been  referred  to  you  by  J.  G.  Pound,  46  Hancock  Street, 
Warren,  Ohio,  and  would  |  appreciate  any  information  ^  you  may  feel 


100  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION   EXERCISES 

disposed  to  give  us  concerning  his  financial  responsibility  and  business 
record  with  your  house.  |  Thia  will  be  treated  as  strictly  confidential.^ 

We  have  sold  him  two  small  bills  which  are  not  yet  due  and  | 
have  under  con^deration  an  order  estimated  at  $100.00  to  be  shipped 
on  our  regular  terms.^ 

We  shall  appreciate  |  an  early  response.^     Let  us  assure  you  of 
our  willingness  to  reciprocate  the  favor  at  any  time.^ 

Yours  very  truly,  |  (lOO) 

1  Subject     2  Shows  appreciation  of  favor,  does  not  take  it  for  granted     3  Further  data 
4  Courteously  suggests  action 

2 

Mr.  Hubert  Otto, 

Salesman  No.  49, 

Watertown,  New  York. 
Dear  Mr.  Otto: 

We  are  preparing  for  shipment  February  first  an  order  you 
entered  for  Frank  Brothers,  421  |  West  Street,  amounting  to  $140.35.^ 

Although  we  asked  for  information  at  the  |  time  the  order  was 
entered,  the  reports  we  have  received  are  not  very  flattering.-  Before 
asking  Frank  Brothers  for  a  |  business  statement,  we  should  like  to 
hear  from  you  regarding  their  afl'airs.  If  possible,  give  us  the  names 
of  some  I  of  the  houses  with  whom  they  are  dealing,  as  this  is. the  best 
information  for  our  files.^ 

If  we  were  |  dependent  entirely  on  the  reports  of  the  mercantile 
agencies  and  the  replies  to  our  round  of  inquiries,  the  order  could  | 
not  be  passed,  but  we  hope  you  can  get  us  some  information  that  will 
show  that  they  are  entitled  to  |  a  line  of  credit  at  least  covering  the 
amount  of  the  order  in  hand.^ 

Yours  very  truly,      (157) 

1  Subject    2  Reason  for  letter    3  Requests  action     4  Shows  desire  to  sell  the  goods 


3 

Cooper  &  Shackman, 

970  Bridge  Street, 

Lawrence,  Massachusetts. 
Gentlemen : 

Some  time  ago  you  very  kindly  gave  us  information  regarding 
the  financial  standing  of  A.  B.  Young,  126  |  Orchard  Street  of  your 


CREDIT   INFORMATION  —  TRADE  101 

city.^    Since  that  time  we  ha\  e  carried  a  satisfactory  account  for  him, 
extending  small  |  credits. 

He  has  now  placed  an  order  with  us  of  $800  on  terms  of  2  per 
cent  April  |  10  or  net  June  1.^ 

We  shoidd  like  to  have  you  inform  us  whether  his  business  has 
increased  to  such  |  an  extent  that  our  shipment  of  this  order  would 
prove  to  be  a  good  business  risk.^  Any  information  you  may  |  care 
to  give  us  wiU  be  greatly  appreciated  and  held  in  strict  confidence, 
without  responsibility  to  you.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (120) 

1  General    subject;     chronological   arrangement     2  Special   paragraph   for    important   item 
3  Requests  action     4  Removes  objections  to  action 


4 

Mr.  Horace  Armstrong, 

513  France  Avenue, 

Utica,  New  York. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  have  occasion  to  refer  again  to  the  guaranty  which  you  for- 
merly gave  us  in  respect  to  the  |  account  of  J.  C.  Ritter  of  your  city.^ 

Mr.  Ritter  is  now  owing  us  $466.00  and  |  we  have  pending  an 
order  amounting  to  $188.56  calling  for  February  first  |  shipment.- 
Naturally  we  want  to  deliver  the  goods  if  possible,  but  we  do  not  care 
to  take  any  unusual  business  |  risk.^  Noting  that  you  withdrew  your 
guaranty  for  ninety  days  dating  from  November  22,  we  should  hke 
to  know  I  if  you  are  interested  in  the  handling  of  the  account  at  the 
present  time,  or  if  you  consider  that  we  |  are  justified  in  charging  this 
amount  of  business  to  Mr.  Ritter  without  security.^ 

We  have  to-day  written  him  suggesting  that  |  he  send  us  a 
check  for  the  order  now  pending  and  deduct  2  %  discount  for  cash  and 
also  I  give  us  his  assurance  that  the  open  account  of  $466.00  wiU  be  paid 
promptly  when  due. 

Your  I  reply  will  be  much  appreciated,  and,  we  hope,  will  place 
us  in  a  position  to  deliver  the  goods  to  Mr.  |  Ritter  on  the  date  men- 
tioned.^ 

Yours  very  truly,      (208) 

1  Subject     2  Further  data     3  Shows  desire  to  sell  goods     4  Cash  in  advance  has  already 
been  suggested     5  Persuades  to  action 


102  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

5 

Mr.  T.  L.  Davis, 

Hartford,  Connecticut. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  regret  that  we  can  give  you  very  little  credit  information  i 
concerning  P.  T.  Olds  at  Corning,  New  |  York.  He  buys  an  occasional 
small  order  from  us,  so  that  to  give  the  amount  of  his  purchase  would 
not  I  be  of  assistance  to  you.^ 

We  have  no  salesman  visiting  the  town,  and  so  know  nothing 
about  the  conduct  of  |  his  business.^ 

Possibly  Jerrems  &  Coriipany  of  Rochester  could  give  you  more 
information.^     Sorry  to  be  of  so  little  help.^  | 

Very  truly  yours,     (83) 

1  Subject      2  Explanation      3  Second     subject      4  Shows  desire  to  serve       5  Emphasizes 
regret 

REQUESTS  FOR   CREDIT   INFORMATION  AND   OTHER 
CREDIT  LETTERS  TO  THE   CUSTOMER 

1 

Clawson  &  Aldridge, 

2978  Adams  Street, 
Flint,  Michigan. 
Gentlemen: 

We  wish  to  thank  you  for  yom-  order  of  June  25.  According  to 
your  instructions  it  was  shipped  |  immediately  and  is  now  on  the  way.^ 

We  are  gratified  to  observe  youc  interest  in  our  merchandise 
and  are  especially  |  pleased  to  have  what  appears  to  be  our  first  oppor- 
tunity of  serving  you.  We  hope  and  believe  that  this  opening  |  bill 
will  be  the  beginning  of  business  relations  that  will  be  nmtuaUy  pleas- 
ant and  profitable.  We  look  forward  to  hearing  |  from  you  in  the 
near  future.^ 

In  this  connection  and  for  our  assistance  in  handling  your  future 
wants  in  our  |  line  we  should  appreciate  very  much  the  bank  and 
trade  references  customary  with  the  opening  bill,  which  were,  no  doubt, 
I  overlooked.  These  would  be  especially  acceptable,  as  the  commer- 
cial agencies  consulted  seem  to  have  no  particular  data  on  file  regard- 
ing I  you.^ 

Any  information  that  you  may  care  to  submit  will  be  held  in 


CREDIT   INFORMATION  —  CUSTOMER  103 

strict  confidence,  and  used  only  in  aiding  |  us  to  supply  your  wants  in 
our  line.* 

Yours  very  truly,     (171) 

1  Acknowledgment  and  action  taken     2  Welcomes  new  customer     3  Asks  credit  information 
4  Removes  objections  to  action 

2 

Mr.  Lloyd  Boxwell, 

792  Anoka  Avenue, 

IVlalden,  Massachusetts. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  thank  you  for  having  furnished  us  with  a  statement  of  your 
financial  affairs.^  You  can  rest  assured  |  the  usual  investigation  will 
be  completed  at  the  earliest  possible  date.- 

We  trust  the  slight  delay  to  your  order  will  I  cause  you  no 
serious  inconvenience.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (48) 

1  Subject    2  Shows  prompt  service;    avoids  dangerous  promise  that  credit  will  be  granted 

3  Courteous  ending 

3 

Mr.  J.  W.  Clark, 

782  Kendall  Avenue, 

Fargo,  North  Dakota. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  acknowledge  with  thanks  your  business  statement  of  INIay  1,^ 
but  we  have  been  disappointed  to  observe  the  |  very  considerable 
indebtedness,  $1910.00  against  a  merchandise  stock  insured  for  $550.00 
only,  I  while  of  this  indebtedness  over  $700.00  is  for  merchandise  bills 
of  which  a  large  part  is  already  due.-  | 

Under  such  circumstances,  and  taking  into  consideration  also 
our  own  rather  imsatisfactory  experience  with  your  previous  bOls, 
it  is  difficult  I  for  us  to  determine  the  basis  for  further  service  on  open 
account.  Indeed,  we  are  strongly  inclined  to  urge  the  |  desirabihty 
of  cash  terms  for  your  present  wants,  at  least.^ 

In  making  this  suggestion  of  a  cash  basis  it  is  |  our  hope  that 
at  some  future  time  when  circumstances  are  more  favorable  we  may 
be  able  to  offer  more  hberal  |  accommodations.* 

Yours  very  truly,     (144) 

1  General  subject     2  Frank  statement  of  basis  for  judgment     3  Tactfully  refuses  credit 

4  Suggests  buying  for  cash  in  hope  of  future  credit 


104  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

4 

Homer  Brothers, 

29  Randolph  Street, 

Norfolk,  Virginia. 
Gentlemen : 

We  have  proceeded  with  the  shipment  of  your  order  Number 
21576,  sending  the  |  goods  on  open  account.^ 

We  see  that  you  have  only  recently  entered  into  business  and 
wish  to  offer  our  best  |  wishes  for  your  success.  Probably  for  this 
reason  the  agencies  do  not  seem  to  be  equipped  with  information  which 
would  I  aid  us  in  assigning  to  you  a  line  of  credit  for  your  future  use. 
Under  the  circumstances  will  you  supply  |  us  with  the  information 
requested  on  the  inclosed  memorandum?  -  Then  we  shall  be  able  to 
give  very  prompt  consideration  to  |  your  future  orders. 

We  trust  that  the  present  shipment  will  be  the  means  of  profit- 
able business  for  you.^ 

Yours  very  )  truly,     (121) 

1  Grants  credit    2  Asks  information     3  Appeals  to  self-interest 

5 

Joseph  J.  Burr  &  Son, 

41  Aldrich  Avenue, 

Nashville,  Tennessee. 
Gentlemen: 

On  September  20  we  acknowledged  receipt  of  the  order  ^  you 
presented  us,  assuming  that  you  wished  the  goods  forwarded  |  on 
open  account.  We  proceeded  to  make  the  usual  inquiries  regarding 
your  financial  affairs.  Apparently,  however,  the  commercial  agencies 
have  I  no  information  that  would  assist  us  in  completing  our  records. ^ 

May  we  suggest  under  the  circumstances  that  you  favor  us  | 
with  references,  including  among  these  your  bank  as  well  as  any  other 
wholesale   houses   which    are   granting   you    credit    privileges.^ 

Your  compliance  with  this  request  will  doubtless  not  inconven- 
ience you,  and  we  trust  that  it  may  be  the  means  of  |  beginning  a 
series  of  pleasant  relations,  commencing  with  the  present  order. 

Yours  very  truly,     (I3i) 

1  Subject     2  Chronological  arrangement     3  Asks  action     4  Appeals  lo  self-interest 


CREDIT   INFORMATION  — CUSTOMER  105 


Mr.  J.  E.  Deering, 

829-60th  Street, 

Freemont,  Ohio. 
Dear  Sir: 

Your  order  of  January  10  for  hosiery  was  very  much  appre- 
ciated.^ We  observe  you  desire  the  goods  shipped  |  about  March  10 
and  have  entered  the  order  accordingly.- 

We  see  that  you  have  recently  purchased  the  interest  of  your  ] 
partner  in  the  business.    Please  accept  our  best  wishes  for  the  success 
of  the  new  arrangement.    May  we  not  ask  |  that  you  provide  us  with 
details  for  this  transfer  for  our  files?  ^ 

Your  use  of  the  inclosed  blank  wiU  enable  |  us  to  complete  our 
records  without  further  delay  and  will  be  appreciated.* 

Yours  very  truly,     (95) 

1  Acknowledgment  2  Does  not  promise  shipment;  will  probably  wait  for  information 
3  Under  the  new  arrangement  the  business  might  be  financially  weaker  4  Suggests  prompt 
action 

V 


Mr.  John  P.  Ward, 

203  Oregon  Street, 

Lejdngton,  Kentucky. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  thank  you  for  the  order  of  May  1  just  received  and  we  are 
pleased  to  inform  you  |  it  has  been  placed  with  our  shipping  depart- 
ment for  immediate  delivery  to  you.  We  acknowledge  also  receipt  of 
your  payment  |  of  $150.00,  which  has  been  credited  to  your  account.^ 
-  It  is  very  pleasant,  IVIr.  Ward,  to  see  |  your  account  grow  like 
this.  Of  course,  we  want  to  offer  our  very  best  ser\ice  on  all  of  your 
orders,^  |  and  so  we  take  the  liberty  of  suggesting  that  you  let  us  have 
a  more  complete  report  for  our  credit  |  files.^  We  presume  that  you 
have  recently  completed  your  inventory,  so  that  if  you  should  feel 
disposed  to  mail  us  |  a  copy  of  the  figures,  it  would  be  appreciated 
very  much,  as  a  direct  report  of  this  kind,  of  course.  |  is  the  most  satis- 
factory credit  information.* 

We  are  going  to  give  you  immediate  service  on  the  order  just 
received,  but  |  if  you  will  let  us  have  the  details  suggested,  we  feel 


106  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

confident   we   can   show   our   appreciation   by   doing   still  |  better   on 
future  orders.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (187) 

1  Subject     2  Appeals   to   pride   and   self-interest    3  Asks  action    4  Suggests  easy  action 
5  Summary  and  appeal  to  self-interest 

8 

Millet  &  Kempton, 

142  Akron  Street, 

Decatur,  Illinois. 
Gentlemen : 

We  appreciate  your  generous  order  and  are  pleased  to  inform 
you  that  the  shipment  will  go  forward  in  keeping  |  with  your  instruc- 
tions.^ 

In  placing  the  credit  approval  on  the  order  we  observe  a  balance 
of  $  17.79  I  considerably  past  due  arising  from  invoice  of  July  13  which, 
no  doubt,  has  been  overlooked  by  your  |  bookkeeper.'^ 

Please  give  this  matter  your  personal  attention,  informing  us 
of  the  result  of  your  investigation  at  your  earliest  convenience.^  | 

Yours  very  truly,     (83) 

1  Acknowledgment  and  action  taken     2  Avoids  blaming  customer    3  Courteously  assumes 
lie  will  remit  if  he  finds  amount  is  due 

9 

Mr.  John  Caine, 

1187  Sycamore  Street, 

Santa  Fe,  New  Mexico. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  appreciate  your  order  of  April  1  and  take  pleasure  in  saying 
that  the  shipment  will  go  forward  |  in  keeping  with  your  wishes.^ 

Your  account  just  now  shows  a  past  due  balance  of  $93.99  |  to 
which  we  have  already  called  your  attention  without  being  favored 
with  a  response.^ 

It  is  customary  in  |  cases  of  this  kind  to  defer  action  on  current 
orders  pending  a  settlement  of  any  past  due  balances.    We  realized,  | 
however,  that  you  are  in  a  hurry  for  the  goods  and  so  we  proceeded 
with  the  shipment  in  this  instance.^  |  May  we  not  rely  upon  you  to 
assist  us  in  settling  the  account  upon  receipt  of  tliis  letter.^  * 

Yours  very  |  truly,      (I2i) 

1  Acknowledgment  and  action     2  Reminder     3  Courteously  shows  exception  made     4  Ap- 
peals to  fairness  in  return  for  favor 


CREDIT   INFORMATION  — CUSTOMER  107 

•  10 

Mr.  Grant  Callander, 

720  Beachwood  Avenue, 
Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa. 
Dear  Sir: 

While  we  appreciate  your  valued  order,  we  rep^ret  our  inability 
to  ship  it  in  keeping  with  your  instructions.^  | 

On  referring  to  your  account  we  find  ourselves  somewhat  handi- 
capped in  making  credit  arrangements  owing  to  a  misunderstanding 
which  occurred  |  in  connection  with  our  terms.  We  were  finally  coni- 
peUed  to  refer  your  account  to  the  attorney  for  collection,  and  there  | 
is  stiU  a  balance  of  $15.74  which  neither  we  nor  the  attorney  have 
been  successful  |  in  collecting  up  to  date.^ 

Now  we  shall  be  entirely  willing  to  consider  further  shipments 
on  open  account  when  the  j  old  balance  has  been  satisfactorily  retired. 
If,  accordingly,  you  will  let  us  have  a  remittance  covering  the  current 
order  or  |  give  us  permission  to  ship  c.o.d.,^  we  shall  be  glad  to  release 
the  order  at  once.^ 

Yours  very  |  truly,     (141) 

1  Order  held  up    2  Explanation     3  Temporarily  refuses  credit    4  Positive  ending 


11 

Henry  Simonson  Company, 

675  Jackson  Street, 
Lima,  Ohio. 
Gentlemen : 

We  thank  you  for  your  order  of  January  8.^  Now  while  we  wish 
to  assure  you  that  we  do  |  not  in  the  least  question  your  financial 
responsibility,  no  doubt  you  will  remember  that  the  last  time  we  had 
open  I  account  relations,  we  failed  in  our  efforts  to  obtain  a  direct 
settlement  of  the  small  balance  and  we  were  obliged  |  to  place  your 
account  in  the  hands  of  our  attorneys  before  obtaining  the  money 
due  us  at  an  expense  of  |  $3.00  for  attorney  fees.- 

We  are  very  glad  that  this  misunderstanding  is  a  matter  of  the 
past,  and  that  |  the  way  lies  open  to  renew  credit  accommodations.^ 
But  our  invariable  rule  demands  that  this  httle  amount  be  paid.     No  | 
doubt  this  wiU  appeal  to  you  as  fair,  and  you  wiU  send  us  your  check 


108  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

for  $3.00.    Then  we  |  shall  be  very  glad  to  reinstate  the  account  imme- 
diately and  make  shipment  of  the  present  order.* 

It  is  going  to  I  be  a  great  pleasure  to  have  many  opportunities 
to  serve  you  in  the  future.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (177) 

1  Subject    2  Frank  statement  of  past  trouble     3  Emphasis  on  positive  element    4  Asks 
action  and  appeals  to  self-interest     5  Positive  ending 


12 

Mr.  Delos  A.  Dodds, 

879  Kenwood  Avenue, 

St.  Paul,  Minnesota, 
Dear  Sir: 

While  we  have  on  several  occasions  forwarded  merchandise  in 
excess  of  your  cash  payment,  no  definite  arrangements  have  |  as  yet 
been  completed  for  the  handhng  of  your  orders  on  regular  terms.^ 

We  are  very  grateful  for  your  generous  |  order  of  January   10 
and  for  the  payment  of  $19.93  covering  your  previous  account,  but  | 
we  feel  obliged,  since  you  apparently  desire  credit  terms  on  this  entire 
order,  to  ask  for  some  information  regarding  your  |  investment.    This 
information  can  no  doubt  be  best  given  on  the  inclosed  blank.^ 

We  are  very  sorry  for  the  unavoidable  |  delay,  but  confidently 
believe  you  will  imderstand  our  position.  We  shall  look  forward  to 
your  help,  by  return  mail,  in  |  getting  these  goods  shipped  to  you.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (129) 

1  Subject;  credit  arrangements    2  Holds  up  order  pending  information     3  Appeals  to  self- 
interest  to  secure  action 

13 

Mr.  Francis  Kirk, 

567  Brinwood  Avenue, 
Boise,  Idaho. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  again  direct  your  attention  to  your  January  2  order  for 
arctics.^ 

W  ill  you  not  assist  us  with  ]  the  details  suggested  in  our  letter 
of  January  5  so  that  we  may  complete  our  credit  files.^^    If  you  prefer  | 
continuing  cash  deafings,  the  credit  balance  of  $19.42  can  be  applied, 
and  you  can  send  |  us  your  check  for  the  remainder.^ 


CREDIT   INFORMATION  — CUSTOMER  109 

Please  write  us  to-day,  as  your  customers  are  no  doubt  asking 
for  these  goods.^  | 

Yours  very  truly,     (83) 
1  Subject,  order  held  up  pending  information     2  Asks  action    3  Appeals  to  self-interest 

14 

Henry  Sippel  Company, 

298  Jacobs  Street, 

York,  Pennsylvania. 
Gentlemen :  , 

Although  we  appreciate  the  additional  order  you  placed  with 
Mr.  Shaw  a  few  days  ago,  we  are  quite  surprised  |  that  you  neglected 
to  make  a  remittance  when  this  order  was  given. ^ 

You  will  no  doubt  remember  that  when  we  |  wrote  you  a  few 
days  ago  in  connection  with  former  purchases,  we  told  you  that  we 
should  have  to  ask  |  for  a  payment.^ 

Now  just  let  us  have  a  remittance  of  $50  or  $60,  and  then  we 
can  I  ship  these  goods  right  out  to  you.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (90) 
1  Subject    2  Reminder    3  Asks  action;    note  cordial  tone 

15 

]\Ir.  Henry  Parker, 

897  Chandler  Street, 

Hoboken,  New  Jersey. 
Dear  Sir: 

W  hile  we  were  preparing  to  ship  your  order  for  hosiery,  our 
attention  was  called  to  your  account.  I  |  am  somewhat  surprised  to 
notice  that  there  is  $298.70  past  due  for  October  |  bills  and  that  not- 
withstanding the  fact  that  we  drew  on  you  on  January  8,  no  returns 
have  been  obtained.^ 

It  I  is  very  necessary,  of  course,  that  this  account  be  disposed 
of  immediately  and  it  is  especially  to  be  regretted  that  |  this  condition 
prevents  us  from  adding  further  charges  to  your  account  for  the  time 
being.^ 

We  feel  confident,  however,  that  |  the  matter  has  been  neglected 
through  oversight  on  the  part  of  your  bookkeeper  and  we  are  looking 
forward  either  to  ]  a  direct  remittance  or  to  the  prompt  acceptance 
of  the  draft. ^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (134) 

1  Subject    2  Refuses  credit    3  Courtesy;  asks  action 


110  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

16 

Mr.  George  Diamond, 

2000  Aldrich  Avenue, 

Wilmington,  Delaware. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  are  carefully  preparing  for  February  first  shipment  your 
good  orders  for  Underwear  and  Hosiery  which  you  so  |  kindly  gave 
Mr.  Robertson  last  October.^ 

We  estimated  the  amount  of  the  two  orders  as  $632.00  |  and 
we  note  that  your  account  is  charged  with  $1238.15  at  |  the  present 
time.  Consequently  we  should  very  much  appreciate  the  favor  if  you 
could  arrange  to  mail  us  a  substantial  |  payment  on  account  before 
the  present  orders  are  charged  and  the  necessary  addition  made  to 
the  amount  already  owing.^ 

We  I  are  bearing  in  mind  your  courteous  letter  of  January  2, 
in  which  you  stated  that  you  would  be  in  a  |  position  to  send  us  a  good 
sized  installment  to  apply  on  your  account  in  the  near  future;  there- 
fore, we  hope  |  that  our  request  is  not  untimely.  Knowing  that  you 
appreciate  the  spirit  of  co-operation  in  which  we  are  writing  you,  | 
we  are  looking  forward  to  a  favorable  response.^ 

We  thank  you  for  the  business  you  have  sent  us,  and  are  |  ready 
and  wilHng  to  make  the  earliest  possible  delivery.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (192) 

1  Subject;  does  not  promise  shipment      2  Explains  why  order  is  held  up      3  Reminder; 
appeals  to  co-operation    4  Shows  desire  to  serve 

17 

IVIr.  Thomas  Dillon, 

236  Upton  Avenue, 

Minneapohs,  Minnesota. 
Dear  Sir: 

While  we  want  to  thank  you  for  the  order  left  with  Mr.  N.  W. 
Jones,  we  regret  that  |  you  did  not  mention  intending  to  place  an 
order  of  this  size,  while  discussing  your  account  with  the  writer.^ 

We  I  find  that  the  new  purchase  is  estimated  at  $274.00  and 
involves  a  larger  fine  of  credit  ]  than  we  have  at  any  time  arranged 
for.  While  we  have  the  usual  commercial  reports  on  file,  we  do  not  | 
seem  to  be  able  to  secure  a  complete  report  of  your  financial  situation. 
As  it  becomes  necessary  to  secure  this  |  report  before  granting  the 
additional  credit  which  this  order  will  involve,  we  take  the  liberty  of 


CREDIT   INFORMATION  —  CUSTOMER  1 1 1 

suggesting  that  you  favor  |  us  with  a  financial  statement  as  outhned 
on  the  inclosed  blank  form.- 

Possibly  you  would  prefer  to  avoid  all  delays  |  on  this  order  by 
arranging  to  continue  the  account  on  the  line  of  credit  we  have  pre- 
viously arranged  for.  If  |  you  can  favor  us  with  a  payment  of  about 
$150.00  to  apply  on  the  purchase,  it  can  |  be  released  at  once.^ 

We  regret  that  it  was  necessary  to  delay  your  order,  but  with 
your  assistance,  we  feel  |  confident  that  shipping  arrangements  can 
be  completed  very  quickly.* 

Yours  very  truly,     (212) 

1  Subject    2  Asks  action    3  Suggests  cash  payment    4  Suggests  prompt  action 


18 

Mr.  Albert  Ovis, 

JNIauston,  \Msconsin. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  thank  you  for  your  check  of  $82.01.    We  are  glad  to  tell  | 
you  that  the  order  which  we  were  holding  pending  settlement  of  the 
matured  indebtedness  has  been  approved  for  immediate  shipment  ^  | 
on  our  regular  terms. 

We  are  sorry  you  were  inconvenienced  by  oiu*  holding  up  the 
order  and  we  do  not  |  doubt  that,  as  you  say,  we  should  have  received 
the  money  just  the  same.^  Do  not  think  for  a  moment  |  that  we  ques- 
tion your  good  intentions,  Mr.  Ovis,  but  your  own  sense  of  fairness 
will  tell  you,  I  am  siu^e,  |  that  we  must  look  at  this  matter  in  a  business- 
like way.  If  you  should  meet  with  financial  reverses  it  |  might  be  a 
difficult  matter  for  you  to  retire  your  obligations.^ 

As  you  remember,  we  pointed  out  in  an  earher  |  letter  that  the 
financial  statement  you  kindly  sent  us  some  time  ago  shows  you  are 
operating  on  a  very  fight  |  investment  and  the  amount  of  credit  we 
are  extencfing  you  is  considerably  more  than  is  usually  given  under 
such  circumstances.*  | 

We  feel  certain  that  when  you  have  thought  this  matter  o^e^ 
from  the  above  point  of  view  you  wiU  agree  |  with  us.  We  want  to 
assme  you  that  the  action  was  taken  in  no  imfriendly  spirit.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (219) 

1  Subject     2  Answers  remark  in  letter     3  Explains  action     4  Further  explanation     6  Cor- 
dial, positive  ending 


112  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION   EXERCISES 

C.  O.  D.   SHIPMENTS 

1 

Maring  &  Cooper, 

216  Humborn  Street, 

Omaha,  Nebraska. 
Gentlemen : 

We  had  assigned  you  a  line  of  credit  of  $50.00  and  it  was  through 
oversight  on  our  part  |  that  the  shipment  of  January  5  was  sent 
c.o.D.^  We  have  accordingly  asked  your  bank  to  release  the  j  B/L 
they  are  holding,  without  payment  of  the  draft.  This  will  enable 
you  to  get  possession  of  the  shipment  |  without  further  delay.- 

If  you  will  see  that  your  biUs  are  kept  within  the  crecht  limit  as 
above  referred  to,  |  there  will  be  no  occasion  for  any  delay  on  future 
orders.^  A  little  later  on,  we  shall  be  glad  to  |  consider  increasing 
this  line  of  credit  if  it  is  your  desire  that  we  do  so.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (118) 

1  Answers  question    2  Action  taken    3  Definite  reminder    4  Positive  ending 


2 

Mr.  B.  D.  Comstock, 

319  Tenth  Street, 

Minneapolis,  Minnesota. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  are  just  in  receipt  of  a  notice  from  the  Pennsylvania  Freight 
office,  that  our  recent  c.o.d.  |  shipment  amounting  to  $44.61  has  not 
as  yet  been  accepted.^  Our  records  show  |  we  have  been  serving  you 
on  a  cash  or  c.o.d.  basis,  so  that,  of  course,  this  order  was  j  forwarded 

C.O.D.- 

We  wiU  ask  you  to  caU  at  the  First  National  Bank,  where  the 
B/L  was  I  sent,  and  take  up  this  draft  so  that  you  will  be  able  to  secure 
the  merchandise,  and  thus  prevent  a  |  further  accumulation  of  storage 
charges.^ 

Please  give  this  matter  your  preferred  attention,  as  the  Express 
Company  is  pressing  us  for  |  disposition. 

Yours  very  truly,     (124) 

1  Subject    2  Explains  c.o.d.     3  Asks  action  to  save  expense 


URGING  THE  DISCOUNT  113 


Dodge  Sales  &  Engineering  Company, 

598  Rock  Avenue, 

W  altham,  Massachusetts. 
Gentlemen: 

Many  thanks  for  your  very  good  order  of  January  9  with  per- 
mission to  ship  c.o.D.^  In  making  |  c.o.d.  shipment  of  small  orders 
to  distant  points,  where  the  amount  of  freight  is  considerable,  it  is 
usual  I  that  an  advance  payment  accompany  each  order  so  as  to 
insure  good  faith  in  each  transaction.  Consequently  may  we  ask  | 
that  you  mail  us  a  bank  draft  or  money  order,  on  receipt  of  which  we 
shall  be  very  glad  to  |  arrange  for  delivery  at  once?  ^ 

In  anticipation  of  an  immediate  response  we  are  preparing  the 
order  for  shipment  which  will  |  go  forward  at  once  on  receipt  of  your 
reply.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (112) 

1  Subject    2  Asks  freight  charges  in  advance    3  Suggests  action 


URGING  THE  DISCOUNT 


Mr.  O.  E.  Norman, 

661  Seventeenth  Avenue, 
Easton,  Pennsylvania. 
Dear  Sir: 

September  Account 

If  your  check,  covering  the  above  mentioned  account  has  already 

come  forward,  just  consign  this  letter  |  to  the  waste  basket.^     The 

point  is,  that  we  do  not  want  you  to  lose  the  cash  discount  and  this  | 

may  still  be  saved  if  your  remittance  is  forwarded  by  return  mail.- 

You  will  understand,  we  beheve,  the  spirit  of  |  our  suggestion. 

Yours  very  truly,     (65) 

1  Humorous  apology  for  reminder    2  Appeals  to  self-interest 


114  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

FIRST  COLLECTION  LETTERS 

1 

Harper  Motor  Company, 

'  2001  Washington  Avenue, 

Kalamazoo,  Michigan. 
Gentlemen : 

June  Account  —  $45.00 

Our  account  with  you  for  the  month  of  Jime  amounts  to 
$45.00.1  j  It  is  a  little  past  due  and  it  would  appear  that  you  may 
have  overlooked  the  matter.-    A  remittance  will  |  be  appreciated. 

Yours  very  truly,     (45) 

1  Repeats  subject  for  emphasis    2  Courteously  suggests  reason  for  delay 


2 

Mason  &  Nelson  Company, 

3343  West  Forty-fourth  Street, 
Joliet,  Illinois. 
Gentlemen : 

Your  account  with  us,  referred  to  above,  is  now  slightly  past 
due.  In  order  that  we  may  be  at  |  all  times  in  the  very  best  position 
to  serve  you,^  we  trust  that  it  may  be  possible  for  you  to  |  favor  us 
with  an  early  remittance. 

Yours  very  truly,     (49) 

1  Appeals  to  self-interest;   cannot  buy  more  goods  until  bills  are  paid 


Harrison  Brothers, 

Mayville,  Ohio. 
Gentlemen : 

February  21  Footwear  Charge,  $8.39 

March  4  Footwear  Charge,  1.88  | 

May  4  Credit  Memorandum,  1.24 

These  items  are  still  open  on  your  Footwear  |  account. 

As  the  charges  matured  for  net  payment  on  May   ]   they  are 
now  past  due.i 


FIRST   COLLECTION  LETTERS  115 

If  the  charges  are  |  not  correctly  rendered,  will  you  kindly  in- 
form us,  so  that  we  may  make  any  adjustment  that  is  due  you?  ^    If  | 
the  amount  mentioned  in  our  letter  agrees  with  your  records,  kindly 
forward  your  remittance,  so  that  your  account  may  be  |  clear  on  our 
books.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (107) 

1  Careful  statements  of  fact,  only    2  Shows  fairness;    removes  possible  cause  for  delays 
3  Appeals  to  pride 


Mr.  Horace  E.  Harrison, 

Grand  Forks, 

North  Dakota. 
My  dear  Mr,  Harrison : 

I  think  Friday  of  this  week  is  your  day  in  town.  Am  I  not 
ri^ht.^    Remember  j  to  make  us  a  call.^ 

Yom"  account  is  so  nearly  on  a  discount  basis  at  present  that 
we  are  in  |  hopes  that  beginning  with  your  ]\Iarch  purchases  you  can 
arrange  to  take  advantage  of  discounts.- 

With  kindest  regards,  we  are  | 

Yours  very  truly,     (63) 

1  Subject;  implies,  "Make  us  a  payment"     2  Appeals  to  pride 


5 

Mr.  A.  G.  Fehring, 

320  Walnut  Street, 

Charleston,  South  Carolina. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  sent  you  a  second  statement  ^  calling  attention  to  your  over- 
due account,  and  not  hearing  from  .you,  we  |  can  only  infer  that  our 
requests  for  remittance  have  been  overlooked. 

Please  remit  ^  $25.00  in  settlement  or  inform  |  us  why  you  are 
withholding  payment.^ 

We  await  your  prompt  response. 

Yours  very  truly,     (54) 

1  Reminder     2  Definitely  asks  action     3  Sharp  phrase  may  arouse  shame 


116  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

SECOND   COLLECTION  LETTERS 

1 

Mr.  Frank  Feeney, 

307  Northeast  Grand  Avenue, 
St.  Louis,  Missouri. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  are  awaiting  remittance  in  settlement  of  a  balance  of'$25.00, 
payment  of  which  has  repeatedly  |  been  requested.^ 

Please  let  us  have  your  check  for  this  amount  not  later  than  next 
Monday.^ 

Yours  truly,     (38) 

1  Shows  fairness    2  Time  limit  set 

2 

Farnum  &  Brully, 

25  Conklin  Street, 

/  Fort  Wayne,  Indiana. 
Gentlemen : 

Our  bookkeeper  directs  our  attention  to  an  October  24  invoice 
of  $8.23  which  |  we  are  inclined  to  believe  you  have  overlooked,  as  we 
find  later  bills  have  been  paid.^ 

W  e  inclose  a  duplicate  |  invoice  of  this  charge  and  should  appre- 
ciate receiving  your  remittance  covering  it. 

Yours  very  truly,     (55) 

1  Shows  confidence  in  customer's  intentions 


3 

Hennepin  Auto  Company, 

922  Fairfield  Street, 

Boston,  Massachusetts. 
Gentlemen : 

June  Account  —  $126.00 

If  we  are  correct  ^  in  the  matter,  this  account  is  unpaid  and  | 
past  due.     We  wrote  you  about  this  matter  on  August  10,  but  have 
not  heard  from  you  in  reply.^ 

We  I  wish  again  to  call  your  attention  to  the  need  for  payment.^ 

If  there  is  any  mistake  or  misunderstanding  regarding  any  j 


PETTY  ACCOUNT  LETTERS         117 

of  the  items,  we  sincerely  trust  that  you  will  communicate  with  us 
without  delay.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (77) 

1  Courtesy     2  Reminder     3  Emphasis     4  Suggests  prompt  action 

4 

Hamburger  Oil  Company, 

230  McKnight  Building, 
Chicago,  lUinois. 
Gentlemen : 

Balance  — $91.60.1 

We  have  previously  sent  you  an  itemized  statement  of  the  ac- 
count appearing  |  against  you  on  our  books  which  shows  an  unpaid 
balance  prior  to  the  first  of  the  current  month  of  $90.60.  | 

We  also  wrote  you  regarding  the  matter  only  a  few  days  ago. 
As  yet  we  have  |  received  no  reply.^  This  may  be  through  some  over- 
sight or  possibly  your  remittance  has  already  been  mailed,  in  which 
case  I  we  shall  promptly  credit  your  account  upon  its  receipt.^ 

If,  however,  your  remittance  has  not  been  mailed,  we  hope 
you  I  will  not  further  delay  in  sending  it  to  us. 

If,  for  any  reason,  you  are  withholding  the  payment,  we 
sincerely  |  trust  that  you  will  inform  us  of  the  cause  by  return  mail.* 

Yours  very  truly,     (135) 

1  Subject    2  Chronological  arrangement     3  Courtesy     4  Urgency 


PETTY  ACCOUNT  LETTERS 

1 

W.  A.  Ross  «Sz;  Son, 

125  Juneau  Avenue, 

Evansville,  Indiana. 
Gentlemen : 

Attention  is  again  called  to  our  small  bill  of  September  13, 
amount  $4.17,  duplicate  of  |  which  was  mailed  you  on  December  4. 
No  doubt  you  find  this  agrees  with  your  books. 

You  will  of  course  |  understand  that  we  are  not  at  all  imeasy 
in  regard  to  the  amount  involved,  but  our  experience  has  shown  us  | 
that  such  small  items  if  neglected  are  liable  to  cause  misunderstandings 


118  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

in  the  future  and  entail  labor  in  cofrespondence  out  |  of  proportion  to 
the  amount.^  We  trust,  therefore,  that  we  may  have  your  co-opera- 
tion and  assistance  ^  in  the  shape  of  |  a  remittance  so  that  we  can  get 
this  item  out  of  the  way. 

Yours  very  truly,     (116) 

1  Appeals  to  desire  to  avoid  annoyance     2  Appeals  to  co-operation 

2 

National  Radiator  Equipment  Company, 

Jamestown,  New  York. 
Gentlemen : 

We  are  again  taking  the  liberty  of  calhng  your  attention  to  a 
small  charge  of  December  31,  $3.50,  |  which  is  open  on  your  account. 
As  you  know,  your  orders  are  very  small  and  infrequent  |  and  there 
is  very  httle  profit  in  them  for  us,  but  as  an  accommodation  we  are 
glad  to  pass  them  |  provided  you  see  that  bills  are  paid  when  due.^ 
Our  regular  terms  are  1  %  ten  days  or  thirty  |  days  net,  yet  you  fre- 
quently allow  small  items  to  run  sixty  and  ninety  days. 

Will  you  kindly  give  this  matter  |  your  attention?  ^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (lOo) 

1  Appeals  to  shame    2  Urgent  request 

GRANTING  EXTENSION 

1 

Mr.  Peter  Ferguson, 
826  Main  Street, 

Rridgeport,  Maine. 
Dear  Sir: 

In  your  letter  of  March  14,  you  explain  your    inability  to   take 
care  of  the  balance  on  your  |  account  at  this  time.^ 

Consideration  has  been  given  your  request  for  an  extension, 
and  in  view  of  the  condition  you  |  describe,  we  are  pleased  to  be  of 
assistance  to  you  on  this  occasion  by  consenting  to  payment  on  April 
10.2  I 

We  hope  that  you  will  find  it  convenient  to  pay  accordingly, 
and  look  forward  to  hearing  from  you.^ 

Yours  very  |  truly,      (8i) 

1  Subject;  chronological  arrangement  2  Extension  granted  3  DeOnite  reminder  of 
agreement 


PART   PAYMENT  LETTERS  119 


BROKEN  PROMISE  LETTER 


Mr,  Harry  Paulson, 

127  Oakland  Street, 

Scranton,  Pennsylvania. 
Dear  S^r: 

You  will  undoubtedly  recall  that  as  an  accommodation  to  you^ 
an  extension  was  granted  on  the  balance  of  |  $230.00  that  you  are  owing 
with  the  understanding  that  this  bill  would  be  paid  not  later  than  | 
January  15.  We  were  disappointed,^  accordingly,  upon  referring  to 
yoiir  account,  to  find  that  remittance  has  not  reached  us.  It  |  is  possi- 
ble that  the  matter  really  ^  escaped  your  attention  and  if  so  a  payment 
by  the  next  mail  will  be  |  very  much  appreciated. 

We  are  inclosing  a  stamped  envelope  for  your  convenience  in 
responding. 

Yours  very  truly,     (97) 

1  Appeals  to  shame    Note  chronological  arrangement 


PART  PAYMENT  LETTERS 


Henry  Feinberg  &  Company, 

1505  Hawthorne  Avenue, 

Charlotte,  North  Carolina. 
Gentlemen : 

Please  accept  our  thanks  for  your  payment  of  $52.40,  inclosed 
in  your  letter  of  |  July  8.^ 

We  are  very  sorry,  though,  that  you  were  unable  to  make  this 
check  cover  the  entire  overdue  amount,  |  and  it  is  unfortunate  that 
you  have  failed  to  give  us  any  definite  idea  as  to  when  the  remainder 
will  I  reach  us.- 

Please  let  us  hear  from  you  in  the  inclosed  envelope. 

Yours  very  truly,     (75) 

1  Acknowledgment     2  Frank,  courteous  phrasing 


120  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION   EXEBCISES 

2 

Grove  Heating  Company, 
332  Elliott  Avenue, 

Indianapolis,  Indiana. 
Gentlemen : 

June  Balance  —  $14.68 
We  wish  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  check  for  $75.18.  | 
The  balance  due  on  your  past  due  account  has,  by  this  payment,  been 
reduced  to  |  $14.68.^ 

As  you  are  well  aware,  this  balance  is  long  past  due,-  and  we 
tfust  I  that  there  will  be  no  delay  on  your  part  in  sending  us  another 
check  for  this  amount.^ 

Yours  very  truly,  |  (80) 

1  Facts  stated  first    2  Strong  reminder  of  obligation    3  Asks  action 


Fire  Brick  Construction  Company, 

687  25th  Street, 

Council  Bluffs,  Iowa. 
Gentlemen : 

Your  promise  to  send  us  a  check  as  soon  as  possible  is  rather 
indefinite,^  and  because  the  amount  is  |  so  long  past  due  we  feel  that 
we  should  be  informed  as  to  just  when  we  may  expect  your  payment.-  | 

It  may  be  impossible  for  you  to  pay  the  entire  balance  at  just 
this  time,  but  we  suggest  that  you  |  make  weekly  payments  on  ac- 
count until  the  entire  balance  has  been  paid.^  You  will,  undoubtedly, 
find  this  method  convenient,  and  |  we  would  thank  you  to  make  your 
first  payment  at  once,  and  at  the  same  time  let  us  know  if  |  this  ar- 
rangement is  agreeable  to  you.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (lOO) 

1  Blunt,  definite  beginning    2  Asks  information    3  Suggests  plan    4  Asks  action 


Federal  Printing  &  Advertising  Company, 
223  Columbus  Street, 

Haverhill,  Massachusetts. 
Gentlemen: 

June  Balance  — $215.16 
We   have   received   your   letter   of  October   3   asking  |  that   we 


PART   PAYMENT   LETTERS  121 

grant  a  further  extension  of  tliirty  days  on  your  account  now  overdue 
which  amounts  to  $215.46.^  | 

Your  letter  has  had  the  fullest  consideration,  but  we  cannot 
agree  to  your  request.^ 

In  I  order  that  you  may  not  tliink  us  unreasonable,  we  wish  to 
call  your  attention  to  the  fact  that  we  have  |  already  granted  you  an 
extension  of  ninety  days  beyond  the  date  when  these  charges  became 
due  and  we  feel  that  |  this  is  the  utmost  which  we  can  fairly  grant.^ 

While  we  are  very  willing  to  meet  our  customers  half  way  |  in 
adjusting  difficulties  and  troubles  incident  to  business  matters,  we  are 
convinced  that  you  can,  without  very  serious  effort,  make  |  payment 
of  either  the  whole  amoiuit  due  or  at  least  fifty  per  cent  of  it,  and  we 
ask,  therefore,  that  |  you  send  us  your  check  within  the  next  ten 
days.^ 

If  you  make  only  a  partial  payment,  we  shall  expect  |  the  bal- 
ance within  twenty  days  thereafter.^ 

We  shaU  await  the  favor  of  your  reply .^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (197) 
1  Acknowledgment    2  Refusal    3  Explanation,  shows  fairness    4  Asks  action     5  Emphasis 

5 

]VIr.  E.  L.  Everett, 

Dayton,  Ohio. 
Dear  Sir: 

Over  two  months  ago  you  bought  $18.00  worth  of  goods  from 
me.  I  sent  you  a  statement  |  for  this  when  I  noticed  that  it  was  not 
paid  in  due  time,  but  as  yet  I  have  received  no  |  response  from  you.^ 

I  was  very  glad  to  extend  credit  to  you,  but  I  did  so  in  the  firm 
belief  |  that  you  would  be  prompt  in  your  payment.  All  of  my  prices 
are  on  a  cash  basis;   I  cannot  afford  |  to  give  any  long-time  extensions.- 

If  it  is  impossible  for  you  to  settle  the  entire  bill  at  once,  I  | 
hope  you  will  pay  part  of  it  now,  and  then  inform  me  when  I  may  ex- 
pect the  balance.^ 

I  hope  I  that  you  will  visit  my  store  often  so  that  you  will  notice 
the  many  fine  things  which  I  am  constantly  |  offering.  Membership 
in  the  great  R.  C.  U.  enables  me  to  offer  better  goods  for  your  money 
than  you  can  |  find  anywhere  around  here."^  But  first  of  all,  please 
remember  to  pay  up  your  account.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (17S) 

1  Chronological    arrangement     2  Explains    basis    for   retail   credit     3  Asks   part    payment 
4  Re-sells  the  store's  service     5  Emphasis 


122  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

THIRD   COLLECTION  LETTERS 

1 

Interstate  Securities  Company, 

1805  Dupont  Avenue, 

Haverhill,  Massachusetts. 
Gentlemen: 

Account     $68.21 

Unless  we  are  greatly  mistaken,  the  amount  quoted  above  is 
correct  |  and  represents  the  balance  which  you  owe  us  upon  charges 
prior  to  June  1.^ 

Frankly,  we  are  wondering  ^  why  we  |  have  neither  received  a 
check  nor  an  answer  to  our  letters.  Don't  you  think  ^  we  are  fairly 
entitled  to  some  |  word  from  you? 

Let  us  assure  you  that  we  shall  be  glad  to  find  a  check  inclosed 
in  your  next  j  letter.     At  the  same  time,  if  there  is  any  discrepancy 
or  misimderstanding  about  our  account,  we  should  be  equally  glad  | 
to  have  information  from  you  on  the  subject.^ 

In  any  event  please  write  to  us  just  as  soon  as  you  |  receive 
this  letter.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (126) 

1  Subject    2  Phrases  appeal  to  fairness    3  Asks  reply,  even  if  no  payment  is  made    4  Em- 
phasis 

2 

:Mr.  H.  W.  Parker, 

Lawrence,  Massachusetts. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  are  still  without  a  reply  ^  to  any  of  our  recent  letters  in  regard 
to  your  account.  We  |  are  always  glad  to  take  care  of  our  customers 
with  a  little  extension  of  time  when  there  is  any  particular  |  reason 
for  it,2  but  inasmuch  as  we  have  not  heard  from  you  we  must  assume 
that  the  only  reason  this  |  old  balance  has  not  been  paid  is  because  it 
has  been  overlooked  or  neglected.^  We  feel  that  ordinary  business 
courtesy  ^  |  would  suggest  a  reply  to  our  letters  at  least. 

Won't  you  kindly  make  it  a  special  point  this  week  to  |  check 
up  the  past  due  bills  open  on  your  account  and  send  us  a  remittance 
to  cover  them?  ^ 

Yours  very  |  truly,     (I2i) 

1  Subject;  unanswered  letters      2  Shows  fairness      3  Sharp  phrases  make  stronger  impres- 
sion     4  Asks  action 


DRAFT  LETTERS  123 

3 

Mr.  Oswald  Ramsey, 

913  iVIarquette  Avenue, 

Montgomery,  Alabama. 
Dear  Subscriber: 

Are  you  receiving  your  mail?  ^ 

We  have  written  you  two  of  the  nicest  letters  we  know  how  to    | 
write  about  your  account  —  for  we  felt  that  your  failure  to  make  your 
regular  payment  was  due  only  to  an  |  oversight  on  your  part.'- 

But  you  haven't  ever  repUed  to  our  letters.  Now  you  realize 
that  such  a  condition  cannot  |  continue.^ 

Our  principal  income  is  from  monthly  payments  made  under 
our  convenient  "  Use-while-you-pay "  Plan  —  and  that  makes  |  it  abso- 
lutely necessary  that  your  payments  be  made  when  due.^ 

We  cannot  afford  to  keep  writing  you  letters  about  your  |  ac- 
count. This  is  expensive  for  us  and  an  annoyance  to  you.^  Our  rela- 
tions have  been  very  pleasant  and  we  want  |  to  keep  them  so  —  BUT 
You  must  do  your  part.^ 

Your  payment  is  three  weeks  overdue  and  another  will  soon  | 
be  due. 

So  you  must  send  us  the  overdue  payment  at  once.  Vs  e  expect 
to  receive  it  by  return  mail.®  \ 

Yours  very  truly,     (163) 

1  Sharp  beginning    2  Shows  firmness     3  Arouses  shame     4  Shows  determination     5  Asks 
co-operation    6  Demands  action 

DRAFT  LETTERS 

1 

Mr.  Lems  Clasp, 

542  Farwell  Street, 

St.  Paul,  Minnesota. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  were  quite  surprised  upon  referring  to  your  account  this 
morning  to  find  you  have  not  as  yet  |  paid  the  balance  of  $366.18 
that  is  now  considerably  past  due.^  We  are  |  wondering  if  it  was  your 
desire  that  we  make  a  draft  through  your  bank  for  the  amount  in 
question. 

If  I  we  fail  to  hear  from  you  favorably  within  the  next  few  days, 
we  shall  assmne  an  arrangement  of  this  kind  |  will  be  agreeable.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (86) 

1  Subject     2  Courteous  mention  of  unpleasant  action 


124  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

2 

Johnson  Stock  Food  Company. 

833  Palace  Avenue, 

Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania. 
Gentlemen : 

Account    $102.30 

We  find  it  hard  to  account  for  your  failure  to  let  us  ]  know  that 
our  account  is  at  least  having  attention.^ 

We  wrote  you  on  June  22  and  again  on  July  |  2,  but  at  this  writ- 
ing we  do  not  appear  to  have  received  a  reply. 

It  appears  to  be  the  custom  |  with  some  of  our  friends  to  settle 
bills  only  when  sight  drafts  are  drawn  upon  them.  Is  this  your 
preference?  2  |  Ordinarily  we  do  not  assume  this  to  be  the  case,  but 
unless  we  hear  from  you  by  return  mail,  we  |  shall  assume  that  it  is 
so.  We  shall  draw  upon  you,  and  shall  expect  you  to  be  good  enough 
to  I  take  care  of  our  draft.^ 

If  you  do  not  wish  us  to  draw  upon  you,  you  will  kindly  favor 
us  I  with  a  reply  to  this  letter,  and  if  possible  send  a  check  for  the 
amount  of  our  account.^ 

Yours  very  |  truly,     (I6I) 

1  Courteous  unwillingness  to  believe  neglect  is  deliberate    2  Courteous  reference  to  un- 
pleasant action    3  Gives  warning    4  Suggests  alternatives 

3 

Mr.  John  Roberts, 

San  Diego,  California. 
Dear  Sir: 

Do  you  want  us  to  write  your  banker  about  this  account.^  ^ 

Will  you  make  it  necessary  for  us  |  to  make  draft  on  you  through 
your  local  bank.^^ 

A  man  puts  himself  in  an  unfavorable  light  when  he  is  |  drawn 
on  by  means  of  a  collection  agency  draft.  No  business  man  wishes, 
or  can  afford,  to  lose  the  esteem  |  or  confidence  of  his  banker.- 

Your  reputation  for  promptness  is  one  that  concerns  you  most 
closely.  NOW  is  the  time  |  to  justify  our  confidence  in  your  unques- 
tioned integrity.^ 

Send  your  remittance  TO-DAY  and  avoid  the  unpleasant  experi- 
ence of  having  your  |  local  bank  call  on  you  for  payment.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (no) 

1  Arouses  fear    2  Emphasizes  unpleasantness  of  action    3  Appeals  to  pride    4  Asks  ac- 
tion;  reawakens  fear 


DRAFT  LETTERS  125 


Park  Street  National  Bank, 

24  Park  Street, 

Jersey  City,  New  Jersey. 
Gentlemen : 

Please  present  for  payment  the  attached  draft  to  yom-  order.^ 

^^hen  sending  remittance,  kindly  return  this  memorandum.  It 
shows  I  the  subscriber's  name  and  other  necessary  information. - 

This  subscriber  has  failed  to  answer  numerous  letters  regarding 
an  account  with  us.  |  If  this  draft  is  returned  UNPAID,  we  should 
appreciate  knowing  whether  we  have  the  proper  address  and  if  so, 
what  I  reason  our  subscriber  gives  for  nonpayment.^ 

We  inclose  presentation  fee  and  request  that  tliis  draft  be  pre- 
sented personally.  If  there  |  is  a  charge  in  excess  of  the  inclosed  fee, 
we  shall  be  glad  to  pay  it.* 

Yours  very  truly,      (79) 

1  Subject     2  Point  likelj'  to  be  overlooked     3  "What  to  do  in  case  of  nonpayment      4  Re- 
moves obstacles  to  action 


IVIr.  James  Halton, 

New  Lisbon,  New  Hampshire. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  have  received  your  letter  of  May  11  referring  to  our  draft 
of  the  ninth  for  $21.10,  |  covering  the  balance  on  your  account.  Tliis 
includes  the  two  charges  of  February  4  and  April  |  6  for  $7.20  and 
$15.90.1 

We  sincerely  trust  that  our  draft  has  |  not  been  misconstrued 
as  an  CAddence  of  our  uneasiness  in  regard  to  this  outstanding  accoimt. 
Let  us  express  our  appreciation  1  of  the  very  satisfactory  manner  in 
which  your  bills  have  always  been  taken  care  of.^ 

We  very  deeply  regret  to  |  learn  from  your  letter  of  the  apparent 
carelessness  in  your  last  order.^  This  has  been  referred  to  the  proper 
department  |  for  inspection  and  they  will  write  you  promptly  in  re- 
gard to  it. 

Yours  very  truly,     (135) 

1  Answers  question     2  Courtesy,  but  no  apology     3  New  topic;    shows  desire  to  serve 


126  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION   EXERCISES 

6 

Gorham  Tea  Co., 

23  Taylor  Arcade, 

Cleveland,  Ohio. 
Gentlemen : 

Your  letter  of  March  14  has  just  reached  my  desk.  We  are 
sorry,  indeed,  that  your  Christmas  trade  did  j^not  come  up  to  your 
expectations  and  we  want  to  thank  you  for  your  expression  of  appre- 
ciation for  the  service  |  we  have  given  you.^ 

We  are  always  glad  to  serve  you  in  any  way  possible,  but  we 
know  you  reahze  -  |  it  is  hard  for  an  organization  as  large  as  ours  to 
handle  the  accounts  of  om'  good  customers  without  having  |  a  definite 
understanding  regarding  date  of  settlement. 

We  are  somewhat  confused  regarding  your  account,  for  the 
draft  which  we  sent  |  on  the  ninth  to  the  Farmers  and  Merchants 
Bank  has  also  been  returned  to-day  bearing  the  indorsement  that 
the  account  |  has  been  paid.^  As  we  have  no  record  of  receiving  yo\ir 
remittance,  it  may  be  that  this  has  gone  astray.  |  Will  you  not  write 
us  at  once  concerning  this,  for  we  are  particularly  anxious  to  have 
your  balance  of  $487.75  |  ruled  off  on  our  books  before  our  ledgers 
are  opened  for  the  |  new  year. 

Let  us  assure  you  that  we  wemt  to  serve  you  to  an  even  greater 
capacity  than  we  chd  j  in  1917,  and  for  this  purpose  we  hope  it  will  be 
convenient  for  you  to  nicLke  the  necessary  arrangements  j  for  settle- 
ment.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (225) 

1  Courteous  beginning,  to  worthy  customer     2  Appeals  to  fairness     3  Courteous  mention  of 
delicate  topic     4  Positive  ending 

LATER  COLLECTION  LETTERS 

1 

The  Olney  Mercantile  Company, 

Camden,  New  Jersey. 
Gentlemen : 

We  are  at  a  loss  to  understand  ^  why  this  past  due  account  of 
yours  has  not  been  taken  care  |  of.     We  haven't  any  doubt  of  your 
ability  to  pay  all  obligations  which  you  may  assume,  but  the  fact  is  | 
that  you  are  now  owing  us  for  purchases  running  from  the  first  of 
October  to  date,  and  as  our  regular  |  terms  are  thirty  days,  the  greater 


LATER  COLLECTION  LETTERS         127 

part  of  your  account  is  dccidetlly  past  due.-    If  there  are  any  errors  or  | 

claims  we  shall  be  glad  to  know  of  them  and  make  any  corrections 

necessary.^     If  not,  won't  you  please  make  |  it  a  point  to  send  us  a 

remittance  at  once?  "* 

For  your   convenience  we  are  inclosing   a   stamped  return   en- 

velope.5  I 

Yours  very  truly,      (123) 

1  Sharp  beginning     2  Plain  statement  of  fact     3  Shows  fairness     4  Asks  action     5  Makes 
action  easy 

2 

John  R.  Abbott  Company, 

252  Pillsbury  Avenue, 

Huntington,  West  Virginia. 
Gentlemen : 

April  Account 

Will  you  kindly  favor  us  with  a  check  by  return  mail  ^  in  settle- 
ment of  the  above-mentioned  |  account? 

We  have  now  written  you  on  several  occasions  regarding  this 
matter  and  have  sent  you  numerous  statements.  It  seems  |  hardly 
possible  -  that  there  is  any  inaccuracy  in  the  statements  themselves, 
or  we  should  undoubtedly  have  heard  from  you  on  |  this  point  before 
now. 

We  are  assuming,  as  we  think  we  are  entitled  to  assume,  that 
the  account  is  correct  |  and  we  beheve  that  you  will  agree  that  we 
have  carried  it  quite  as  far  past  the  date  of  maturity  |  as  you  can 
reasonably  expect  us  to  do.-  We  trust,  therefore,  that  there  will  be 
no  delay  on  your  part  |  in  sending  us  your  check  by  return  mail.^ 

Yours  very  truly,      (131) 
1  Sharp  beginning     2  Shows  fairness     3  Definitely  asks  action 

3 

INIr.  Edward  Ramsdell, 

2131  Plum  Avenue, 

Everett,  Wasliington. 
Dear  Subscriber: 

Our  Collection  Department  has  turned  your  account  over  to  me. 
My  work  is  to  handle  all  accounts  that  |  are  being  prepared  for  our 
Attorney.^ 

You  have  already  received  FOUR  LETTERS  about  your  fail- 
ure to  make  your  payments,  and  |  you  know  all  the  facts  that  I  do.- 

There  are  just  two  ways  to  collect  debts  if  people  don't  seem  | 


128  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

willing  to  pay.  One  is  to  appeal  to  a  man's  reason  and  sense  of  fair- 
ness; the  other  is  to  force  |  him  to  pay.  We  much  prefer  the  former 
method.     Don't  you.^^  ^ 

You  owe  the  money.  Why  not  make  your  payments  |  as  you 
agreed  in  the  contract,  instead  of  getting  involved  in  a  lawsuit  with 
the  added  expense  and  hard  |  feeling  that  it  would  cause .'^  ^  Think 
it  over  and  then  send  us  the  two  payments  overdue.  We  want  to 
be  I  fair,  but  we  want  you  to  be  fair  also. 

I  shall  allow  ample  time  for  this  letter  to  reach  you  |  and  for 
your  payment  to  get  back  to  us.  If  at  the  end  of  this  time  I  have  not 
heard  |  from  you  I  shall  send  you  a  draft  in  care  of  your  local  bank. 
Of  course,  I  should  rather  NOT  |  do  this,  and  you  can  prevent  it  by 
sending  a  payment  as  your  answer  to  this  letter.  Use  the  form  |  below 
when  replying. 

I  expect  to  hear  from  you  by  return  mail. 

Yours  very  truly,     (135) 

1  Account  referred  to  special  adjuster  2  Summary  of  past  action  3  Shows  alternative 
4  Applies  it  in  this  case 


FINAL  COLLECTION  LETTERS 

1 

Iron  Store  Implement  Company, 

1121  Fifteenth  Avenue, 

Harrisburg,  Pennsylvania. 
Gentlemen : 

July  and  August  Account,  $260.18 

We  have  written  you  so  often  in  regard  |  to  the  above-mentioned 
account  that  we  feel  that  there  is  nothing  now  which  we  can  add  to 
our  previous  |  correspondence.^ 

It  is  always  our  endeavor  to  retain  the  good  will  and  friendship 
of  our  customers  and  we  naturally  regret  |  anything  which  would  tend 
to  interrupt  our  pleasant  relations  with  them.^  At  the  same  time, 
we  do  not  think  that  |  there  is  any  other  course  open  to  us  but  to 
refer  this  matter  to  our  attorneys  ^  for  immediate  attention,  unless  | 
your  check  is  here  within  the  next  few  days. 

We  believe  that  your  own  sense  of  fairness  will  prompt  you  |  to 
forward  this  check  within  the  time  specified.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (I3i) 

1  Summarizes  past  action    2  Shows  good  will    3  Threat    4  Final  appeal 


FINAL  COLLECTION  LETTERS  129 


Iowa  Paint  Manufacturing  Company, 

East  Twenty-fifth  Street, 

Fitchburg,  IVIassachusetts. 
Gentlemen : 

October  Account,  $67.10 

It  is  a  matter  of  serious  regret  to  us  ^  that  notwithstanding  | 
our  various  letters  regarding  the  account  which  you  owe  us  as  hsted 
above,  it  still  remains  unpaid. 

Should  you  make  |  no  response  to  this  letter,  we  shall  be  reluc- 
tantly forced  ^  to  the  conclusion  that  it  wiU  be  necessary  for  us  |  to 
adopt  more  effective  measures  to  obtain  payment  of  this  balance  than 
oiu-  letters  to  you  seem  to  be.  Accordingly,  |  if  your  account  is  un- 
paid on  iVIay  I  it  will  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  our  legal  representatives 
for  I  attention. 2 

We  wish  frankly  to  state  that  we  are  reluctant  to  adopt  such 
measures,  in  fact  we  do  not  care  |  even  to  mention  them  in  correspon- 
dence, but  we  cannot  grant  a  further  extension  and  are  forced  to  find 
some  means  |  of  obtaining  settlement  of  this  account.^ 

Yours  very  truly,  (149) 

1  Shows  fairness  and  good  will    2  Threat    3  Final  expression  of  regret;  shows  determination 

3 

Mr.  S.  E.  Gillit, 

213  Orchard  Street, 

Oshkosh,  Wisconsin. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  observe  with  no  little  surprise  that  you  have  completely 
ignored  our  wire  of  January  11  concerning  your  |  accoimt.  This  latest 
attitude  of  yours  leaves  nothing  open  for  us  other  than  to  place  the 
account  in  the  hands  |  of  our  collectors.^ 

You  will  remember,  Mr.  Holloway,  that  we  have  frequently 
gone  out  of  our  way  to  accommodate  you  |  with  extra  time,  feeling 
that  perhaps  our  Atlanta  Office  had  fallen  down  in  gi^^ng  you  serv- 
ice on  adjustments,  etc.  |  The  latest  turn  of  alfairs,  however,  convinces 
us  that  this  delay  is  not  caused  by  unadjusted  matters  only,  for  our  | 
Atlanta  Office  informs  us  that  all  of  your  claims  have  been  settled 
upon  a  reasonable  and  just  basis.^ 

We  cannot,  |  of  course,  carry  you  indefinitely,  and  we  now  feel 


130  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

forced  to  bring  matters  to  an  issue  by  stating  that  if  |  we  do  not 
receive  fuU  settlement  of  the  account  of  $520.27  by  return  |  mail, 
instructions  will  be  forwarded  to  our  local  collectors  to  take  action  in 
co-operation  with  our  legal  department.^ 

You  will  I  understand  that  we  dislike  very  much  to  be  com- 
pelled to  write  you  in  this  manner,  yet  we  certainly  feel  justified  | 
under  the  circumstances,^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (206) 

1  Threat     2  Shows  fairness    3  Specific  statement  of  subject    4  Shows  determination 

4 

Mr.  A.  R.  Cole, 

York,  Pennsylvania. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  cannot  understand  why  you  ignore  ^  our  repeated  requests  for 
a  remittance  in  payment  of  the  overdue  balance  |  on  your  account  of 
$206.28. 

It  is  not  our  desire  ^  to  take  any  |  action  in  the  collection  of  this 
amount  which  may  be  unpleasant  to  you.  We  cannot,  however,  wait 
indefinitely  for  settlement  |  and  must  insist  upon  a  remittance  or 
information  as  to  why  you  are  withholding  payment  by  not  later  than 
the  I  27th.  Otherwise  we  shall  be  left  no  alternative  but  to  take  other 
steps  ^  towards  collection. 

We  trust  you  will  |  not  compel  us  to  take  this  action,  which  we 
should  very  much  dislike,-  and  that  your  remittance  in  payment  of  | 
this  amount  wiU  reach  us  promptly. 

,  Yours  very  truly,     (129) 

1  Sharp  beginning    2  Shows  regret    3  Veiled  threat 


Mr.  A.  I.  Marx, 

Easton,  Pennsylvania. 
Dear  Sir: 

I  have  written  you  several  times  asking  you  to  settle  your  ac- 
count of  $35  which  was  |  due  a  long  time  ago.  I  am  surprised  that 
you  have  given  me  no  answer  or  explanation.^ 

The  only  explanation  |  that  I  can  find  for  your  action  is  that 
you  must  be  in  such  a  situation  at  present  that  you  |  could  not  make 


FliNAL  COLLECTION   LETTERS  131 

a  payment  to  me  without  causing  those  near  and  dear  to  you  great 
suffering.^    Is  that  correct?  | 

Your  account  must  not  appear  on  my  register  after  the  first  of 
next  month.  If  it  is  not  paid  in  |  full  or  in  part  by  that  time  I  shall 
transfer  it  to  my  list  of  "Poor  and  Doubtful  Accounts."  This  |  will 
mean  that  you  will  get  no  further  dunning  letters  from  me  until  I  hear 
that  your  financial  condition  is  |  improved.^  It  will  also  mean  that 
all  further  credit  is  withdrawn  from  you.^ 

I  do  hope,  however,  that  you  will  |  be  able  to  pay  me  before  the 
end  of  this  month  so  that  your  name  need  not  go  on  that  |  list.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (184) 

1  Subject;  retail  collection    2  Appeals  to  shame     3  Threat     4  Final  appeal 

6 

Mr.  R.  Ramsey, 

150  Malcolm  Street, 

Holyoke,  Massachusetts. 
Dear  Subscriber: 

Our  draft  was  returned  UNPAID.^ 

Does  this  mean  that  you  are  going  to  force  us  ^  to  sue  you  ?  |  We 
do  not  want  to,  but  you  should  clearly  REALIZE  that  we  will,  if  you 
won't  pay  according  to  the  |  contract  you  signed  with  us. 

Have  you  considered  this  carefully  ?  ^ 

We  know  the  law  —  we  know  we  are  fully  protected  |  and  that 
if  this  matter  goes  to  court,  we  shall  secure  a  judgment  against  you. 
Then  you  will  have  to  |  pay  the  amount  due  us,  plus  the  court  costs 
and  attorney's  feeA 

I  want  to  feel  sure  that  you  have  |  had  every  opportunity  to  settle 
this  account  without  the  extra  expense  and  hard  feehng  a  law  suit 
always  causes.  So  |  I  am  going  to  hold  the  record  of  your  account 
on  my  desk  until  you  have  had  ample  time  to  |  send  me  a  reply  — 
which  must  include  a  payment.^ 

If  I  do  not  hear  from  you  I  shall  forward  the  |  account  to  our 
local  attorney  in  your  town,  with  instructions  to  bring  suit  against 
you  immechately.^ 

This  is  my  last  \  letter  to  you.^ 

Send  a  payment  while  there  is  still  time.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (194) 

1  Subject     2  Shows    unwillingness    3  Emphasis    4  Appeals    to    desire    to    save    expense 
5  Offers  last  chance     6  Threat 


132  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

COLLECTION  AGENCY  LETTERS 

1 

Mr.  S.  Roach,  - 

19  North  Ithas  Street, 

San  Jose,  California. 
Dear  Sir: 

This  claim  was  placed  with  us  for  collection  not  because  of  any 
less  confidence  in  your  word  of  |  honor  or  integrity,^  but  because  our 
client  is  desirous  of  getting  the  matter  settled  and  charged  off  the 
books. 

Is  J  there  any  valid  reason  why  we  may  not  expect  from  you  a 
prompt  settlement.*^ 

Is  the  amount  in  dispute? 

Where  |  is  the  misunderstanding.'^ 

WiU  you  caU  at  our  office  and  tell  us  about  it.*^ 

Or  write  us  fully  the  exact  j  circumstances.-*  '^ 

We  sincerely  wish  to  adjust  this  matter  for  you  and  with  the 
least  possible  trouble  and  inconvenience  to  you.  | 

Will  you,  therefore,  bring  it  speedily  to  a  head  by  writing  us  at 
once  what  the  trouble  is  and  what  |  you  can  do  for  us.**  ^ 

Just  use  the  bottom  of  this  page  and  write  us  by  return  post. 

Yours  very  |  truly,     (I4i) 

1  Appeals  to  pride    2  Pointed  questions     3  Asks  action 


2 

Mr.  G.  E.  Ripley, 

115  Chicago  Avenue, 

San  Antoijio,  Texas. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  are  puzzled  to  receive  from  you  no  reply  to  our  letter.^ 

Are  we  correct  in  assuming  that  |  you  do  not  dispute  the  justice 
of  the  debt;   that  you  acknowledge  you  owe  the  money?  ^ 

Possibly  you  have  just  |  made  payment  direct  and  we  have  not 
been  advised  of  it? 

If  you  have  not,  will  you  inmiediately  write  us  |  when  you  expect 
to  be  able  to  meet  this  charge? 

We  repeat:  It  is  our  wish  to  accomplish,  with  your  |  ready  help, 


DISCREPANCIES   IN  ACCOUNT  133 

a  quick  and  satisfactory  settlement  of  this  bill  without  causing  you 
any  additional  trouble  and  annoyance.^ 

Can  you  |  not  pay  the  bill  within  three  days? 

Is  there  any  misunderstanding? 

When  will  you  call  at  our  office?  | 

Or  will  you  write  us  the  exact  circumstances? 

We  are  strong  behevers  in  a  mutual  Square  Deal,  We  know 
you  I  are.  Just  turn  this  sheet  over  NOW' ,  and  write  us  frankly  and 
fully.4 

TJL\NK  YOU. 

Yours  very  truly,     (158) 

1  Subject     2  This  is  likely  to  draw  a  reply    3  Shows  desire  to  serve     4  Appeals  to  fairness; 
makes  action  easy 


DISCREPANCIES  IN  ACCOUNT 

1 

A.  X.  Komhall  &  Company, 

897  Cedar  Avenue, 

W  orcester,  Massachusetts. 
Gentlemen : 

Your  good  remittance  of  §58.40  has  been  received  ^  and  placed 
to  your  credit.  You  |  have  employed  also  a  credit  of  §5.92  issued 
November  1, 

We  find,  gentlemen,  that  you  ]  have  previously  used  this  credit. 
There  appear  on  our  ledger  two  charges  of  $5.92,  one  |  of  October  20 
and  the  other  of  the  25th.  The  credit  deducted  from  your  remittance 
was  used  to  off'set  |  one  of  these.- 

Please  include  the  amount,  therefore,  when  making  your  next 
payment.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (96) 

1  Acknowledgment     2  Explains  error     3  Asks  action 

2 

Mr.  G.  R.  Ingersoll, 

Waterford,  New  York. 
Dear  Sir: 

Thank  you  for  your  remittance  of  §101.30.  There  are  some  dis- 
crepancies in  I  your  account  to  wliich  we  would  call  your  attention.^ 

For  our  invoice  of  August  30,  1917,  you  remitted  the  |  amount 


134  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

of  28 (^.     Our  invoice  of  this  date  was  $3.28,  leaving  the  amount  |  of 
$3.00  still  open.2 

You  did  not  include  payment  for  our  invoice  of  November  6, 
and  we  are  taking  |  the  liberty  of  inclosing  a  duplicate  of  this  for 
your  attention. 2 

The  credit  of  90^  dated  November  7  which  |  you  deducted  in 
this  remittance  had  already  been  used  in  your  remittance  of 
January  15. ^ 

You  will  see  from  this  |  that  the  amount  of  $4.24  is  still  open  on 
your  account.     Please  include  it  with  |  yoiu-  next  remittance.^ 

Yoiu-s  truly,     (145) 

1  General  subject    2  New  paragraphs  for  each  new  topic    3  Summary;    asks  action 

3 

Mr.  A.  R.  Curtis, 

263  Central  Avenue, 
Dubuque,  Iowa. 
Dear  Sir: 

It  seems  our  credit  is  correct  ^  for  the  clocks  and  watches  men- 
tioned in  your  letter  of  February  12.  J 

Your  letter  of  December  14  states  that  you  returned  21  clocks 
and  24  watches.  We  credited  you  with  |  this  number  at  the  price 
which  you  will  see  on  your  invoice  was  $.95  each  for  the  clocks  j  and 
$.92  each  for  the  watches,  a  total  of  $42.03.^ 

On  rechecking  these  |  figures  you  no  doubt  will  see  that  your 
account  has  been  properly  credited.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (96) 

1  Subject;    refuses  claim    2  Explains    3  Appeals  to  fairness 

4 

W.  E.  Morse  &  Company, 

Galena,  Illinois. 
Gentlemen: 

We  acknowledge  with  thanks  your  remittance  of  $61.69. 

We  believe  there  is  a  |  misunderstanding  ^  in  regard  to  your 
deduction  of  $1.70  as  an  overcharge  on  one  gallon  Tincture  of  |  Iodine 
wliich  we  shipped  and  invoiced  to  you  on  February  13.  We  sent  you 
one  gallon  of  Lilly's  Tincture  of  |  Iodine  in  accordance  with  the  turn- 
over order  received  from  the  manufacturer.     A  credit  of  $8.50  is  | 


DISCREPANCIES  IN  ACCOUNT  135 

correct  for  their  goods  and  is  noted  on  the  co{5y  of  the  order  which  we 
received.  A  special  price  of  |  $6.75  per  gallon,  which  we  quote,  is  for 
Tincture  of  Iodine  put  up  under  our  |  own  label  which  we  should  be 
very  glad  to  supply  on  receipt  of  your  order. - 

If  you  find  this  statement  |  to  be  correct  you  will  no  doubt  wish 
to  include  a  remittance  of  $1.70  with  your  |  next  payment. 

Yours  very  truly,     (165) 

1  New  subject    2  Detailed  explanation 


5 

Baxter  &  Johnson, 

129  Larry  Street, 

Enid,  Oklahoma. 
Gentlemen: 

We  have  not  as  yet  received  a  reply  to  our  letter  of  January 
first,  regarding  the  check  of  $33.55  |  which  you  inform  us  was  sent 
us  on  October  10  to  balance  your  account.^  | 

May  we  ask  you  either  to  send  us  your  paid  check  for  our  in- 
spection, or  to  give  us  the  date  j  of  our  indorsement,  and  the  names 
of  the  banks  through  which  the  check  passed.'^  ^  This  information,  we 
assure  you,  wiU  |  place  us  in  a  position  to  check  up  our  records  promptly 
on  this  apparently  missing  credit.^ 

If  you  will  use  |  the  inclosed  stamped  envelope  in  your  reply, 
it  will  come  direct  to  the  writer's  desk  for  his  personal  attention. 

Yours  I  very  truly,     (122) 

1  Subject;  neglect  of  correspondence    2  Repeats  preceding  letter    3  Shows  desire  to  serve 

6 

Healey  &  Gorrey, 

982  Westcott  Street, 

Charleston,  South  Carolina. 
Gentlemen : 

We  find  the  difference  on  your  account  cannot  be  adjusted 
without  your  assistance.^ 

Our  cash  records  have  been  rechecked  |  and  we  find  no  record  of 
your  check  for  $6.55.  Will  you  not,  therefore,  refer  |  to  your  records 
and  let  us  know  the  date  on  which  it  was  deposited  by  us  and  the  bank 
of  I  deposit.^  2 

Or  if  your  investigation  should  show  that  the  check  has  not  been 


136  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

presented  to  your  bank  for  payment,  kindly  |  instruct   them  to   stop 
payment  on  the  original  check  and  send  us  a  duphcate.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (97) 

1  Courteously  asks  co-operation    2  Alternative  suggestions  for  action 

7 

Mr.  0.  E.  Gronke, 

425  Huston  Street, 

Richmond,  Virginia. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  wish  to  thank  you  for  your  remittance  of  $15.78  which  has 
been  |  placed  to  your  credit.^ 

We  £ire,  however,  experiencing  a  httle  difficulty  in  locating  a 
corresponding  charge  and  would  appreciate  it  |  if  you  would  tell  us 
under  cover  of  the  inclosed  stamped  envelope  just  the  charges  you 
intend  this  remittance  to  |  pay.^ 

We  shall  appreciate  any  information  which  will  place  us  in  a 
position  to  make  the  proper  notation  on  your  |  account.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (84) 

1  Subject    2  Customer  should  have  given   this  information;   note  tactful  phrasing ;  asks 
action 

8 

Mr.  G.  J.  Burnley, 

654  Maryland  Avenue, 

Spokane,  Washington. 
Dear  Sir: 

Your  letter  of  August  12  has  had  the  careful  and  personal  atten- 
tion of  our  adjuster.!  The  goods  which  |  you  inform  us  were  returned 
on  January  29,  1917,  were  not  received  by  us,  but  on  November  14,  | 
1917,  we  gave  you  credit  for  $7.94,  the  value  of  all  the  goods  we  |  did 
receive.2 

We  are  sure  that  you  appreciate  our  position  in  this  matter;  as 
we  have  absolutely  no  record  of  |  the  items  you  mention,  we  must 
insist  that  the  balance  on  our  books  is  correct.  If  you  cannot  prove 
that  I  such  is  not  the  case,  please  favor  us  by  making  a  prompt  re- 
mittance.^ 

We  have  spent  considerable  time  in  checking  I  all  of  our  corres- 
pondence in  connection  with  your  account  and  we  are  satisfied  that 
our  figures  are  correct.  You  will  |  also  find  numerous  letters  from 
us  on  the  subject.    We  hope  that  you  will  do  us  the  courtesy  of  recon- 


DISCREPANCIES   IN  ACCOUNT  137 

sidering  |  the  matter,  for  we  feel  that  we  have  given  you  every  accom- 
modation possible. 

We  should  take  much  pleasure  in  making  |  the  allowance  you 
state,  if  we  felt  there  was  any  occasion  for  doing  so,  but  without  the 
goods  or  any  |  evidence  that  they  were  received,  certainly  you  cannot 
expect  us  to  credit  your  account  with  this  amount'^ 

We  shall  look  |  for  an  early  remittance  from  you. 

Yours  very  truly.      (229) 

1  Shows  desire  to  serve    2  Refuses  unjust  claim    3  Demands  action     4  Emphasizes  fair- 
ness, courtesy,  and  service 

9 

A.  P.  Frey, 

Fulton,  New  York. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  acknowledge  with  thanks  your  remittance  of  $12.16.^ 

We  note  your  deduction  of  |  forty-six  cents  as  error  in  the  price 
of  one  pound  of  Halls  Cotton  on  our  invoice  of  February  18. ^  |  Our 
records  indicate  that  we  sent  you  one  pound  of  this  cotton  in  quarter- 
pound  packages  and  the  price  of  |  seventy-five  cents  should  be  correct,^ 

If  you  chd  not  receive  the  amount  as  charged,  kindly  inform  us 
and  we  |  shall  be  very  glad  to  make  a  further  investigation.* 

Yours  very  truly.     (92) 

1  Acknowledgment    2  Deduction    3  Correction    4  Shows  desire  to  serve 

10 

Mr.  B.  O.  Logue, 

124  Belair  Place, 

Galveston,  Texas. 
Dear  Sir: 

There  seems  to  be  some  mistake  in  your  settlement  of  Novem- 
ber 30  in  your  deduction  of  S3. 30  |  covering  the  return  of  10  packages 
of  Phonographic  Needles.^ 

No  doubt  this  is  merely  a  slip  in  |  setting  down  the  figures,  as 
these  needles  were  charged  you  at  33^  only  on  our  invoice  #10928  | 
of  October  18.     On  their  return  we  credited  them  to  your  account 
for  33C.2  I 

Will  you  not,  therefore,  please  send  us  at  once  the  balance  due 
of  $2.97  I  so  as  to  avoid  further  annoyance  to  you  in  this  matter.^  ^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (ii-i) 

1  Subject    2  Explanation    3  Asks  action;   appeals  to  self-interest 


138  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

11 

Mr.  James  Pierce, 

Saugerties,  New  York. 
Dear  Sir: 

When  you  remitted  $111.97  on  October  24  you  deducted  $3.00  | 
which  we  presume  covers  D4497  Comfortables.^ 

If  the  price  of  these  Comfortables  was  [copied  $3.25  on  your 
invoice  it  was  an  error,  as  the  extension  of  $22.50  |  for  the  6  only 
you  received  was  entirely  in  accordance  with  our  catalogue  price  which 
was  I  in  effect  when  your  order  was  received.^ 

Please  therefore  remit  this  $3.00  deducted  in  error.     Should  we 
be  mistaken  j  in  our  contention  and  this  deduction  does  not  cover 
this  item  we  should  appreciate  a  full  explanation  concerning  the  | 
amount  on  the  inclosed  sheet. ^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (128) 

1  Subject    2  Explanation    3  Asks  action;    shows  fairness 

DISCOUNT  WRONGFULLY  DEDUCTED 

1 

W.  L.  Fauser  &  Company, 

915  Lyndale  Avenue, 
Houston,  Texas. 
Gentlemen: 

We  thank  you  for  your  check,  but  it  cannot  be  accepted  because 
of  your  error  in  deducting  2  %  j  discount.^ 

We  assume  that  you  are  familiar  with  our  terms  1  %  20  days, 
net  60,  and  that  |  this  was  an  oversight.- 

As  the  discount  period  has  expired,  we  must  suggest  your  remit- 
tance in  full.^ 

Yours  very  truly,  j  (60) 

1  Subject;   refusal  of  check    2  Explanation     3  Asks  action 

2 

E.  B.  Graham  &  Sons, 

189  Jackson  Street, 
JoUet,  Illinois. 
Gentlemen : 

Thank  you  for  your  remittance  of  $201.17  covering  your  invoice 
of  October  30  |  for  $205.27.     We  find,  however,  that  you  have  used 


CHECK   PROTESTED  139 

the  shipping  date  of  |  December  31  and  have  taken  2%  discount  from 
that  date.^ 

We  believe  you  will  find  that  our  |  invoice  states  terms  of  1  % 
November  15  or  net  December  31.  In  fact,  we  did  not  send  |  you 
the  statement  until  the  invoice  was  due  net;  therefore  this  deduction 
is  not  in  accordance  with  our  new  terms  |  and  applies  only  on  deliv- 
eries made  after  December  26.- 

We  shall  appreciate  your  courtesy  if  you  will  refer  to  |  our  origi- 
nal invoice.  If  you  find  we  are  correct  please  mail  us  an  additional 
remittance  for  $4.10.^  | 

Yours  very  truly,     (144) 

1  Subject;   acknowledgment  and  wrongful  deduction    2  Explanation     3  Asks  action 

3 

Lawrence  Laundry  Company, 

876  James  Street, 

Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa. 
Gentlemen : 

We  acknowledge  with  thanks  receipt  of  your  check  September 
18,  $389.41,  I  sent  in  payment  of  our  August  account  $397.33,  less 
$7.92  I  discount. 

We  are  placing  the  amount  of  the  check  to  the  credit  of  your 
account,  but  at  |  this  late  date  we  are  not  in  a  position  ^  to  credit  you 
with  cash  discount.  You,  of  course,  can  appreciate  ^  |  the  necessity 
for  having  definite  hmits  to  the  period  for  allowing  cash  discoimt.  If 
the  delay  in  remittance  is  due  |  to  anything  for  which  we  are  responsi- 
ble, kindly  let  us  know  and  we  shall  be  pleased  to  place  the  amount  | 
to  your  credit.^  We  assume,  however,  that  in  case  the  delay  lies  at 
your  end  you  are  as  wilHng  to  |  refund.^ 

Yours  truly,     (143) 
1  Courteous  phrase    2  Appeals  to  fairness    3  Assumes  mutual  fairness  and  good  will 

CHECK  PROTESTED 

1 

Feeley  and  Crocker, 

Portland,  Oregon. 
Gentlemen : 

Much  to  my  surprise  your  check,  dated  February  9,  amounting 
to  $26.19,  has  been  |  returned  with  protest  fees.^ 

I  cannot  beheve  that  you  would  intentionally  issue  a  check  with- 


140  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 


Style  III.  — BLOCK  STYLE  ADDRESS  AND  PARAGRAPHS 

Note  also  single  spacing,  position  of  reference  for  reply,  and  repetition 
of  name  and  date  at  top  of  second  sheet. 


The  B.F.  Goodrich  Rubber  Company 


Rubber   '^^^  Goods 


^VKROf.  Ohio 
Juno  25,    1919 


LAM- 114 


The  Phillip  Randall  Company, 
3242  West  Market  Street, 
Akron,  Ohio. 


Gentlemen:    Attention  of  Stenographers. 

The  oompllmentary  address  at  the  beginning  of  a  let- 
ter Is  called  the  salutation.   In  buolness  letters, 
it  Is  practically  limited  to  four  forms:   Dear  Sir, 
Gentlemen,  Dear  Madam,  and  Ladles  or  Mesdames.   Dear 
Madam  la  used  In  addressing  a  woman  whether  married 
or  unmarried. 

More  formality  Is  shown  by  the  use  of  the  salutation 
My  dear  Sir  or  My  dear  Madam.   (Note  that  the  first 
letter  of  the  second  word  Is  not  a  capital.)   If  the 
writer  is  personally  acquainted  with  the  addressee 
or  has  corresponded  with  him  before,  he  may  use  My 
dear  Mr.  Jones  or  Dear  Mr.  Jones. 

The  salutation  should  be  written  flush  with  the  left- 
hand  margin  and  in  alignment  with  the  first  line  of 
the  address. 

The  salutation  Dear  Friend  or  Dear  Miss  is  not  good 
form,  nor  should  the  abbreviation  Messrs.  be  used  as 
a  salutation. 

Dear  Sirs  has  of  recent  years  become  obsolete.  In 
the  addressing  of  such  firms  as,  for  example,  John 
Wanamaker  or  John  Butler,  Inc.,  the  correct  saluta- 
tion is  Gentlemen  because  these  names  are  the  names 
of  firms  and  not  of  individuals.  Gentlemen  is  also 
correct  if  the  firm  is  composed  of  both  man  and  wo- 
men. 

The  salutation  is  followed  by  a  colon  or  comma. 
Never  by  a  semicolon.   The  dash  is  unnecessary. 


CORRESPONDENCE  WITH  ATTORNEYS  141 


The  Phillip  Randall  Co.   -2-  6/2&/18 


Before  the  letter  is  typed  or  written,  the  typist 
should  Judge  the  amount  of  material  to  go  on  a 
sheet  and  plan  for  the  space  accordingly.   The 
stenographer,  before  beginning  to  type,  should 
always  glance  over  his  notes  and  Judge  the  amount 
of  space  that  will  be  required.   If  such  a  plan 
is  followed,  the  typed  matter  can  be  placed  to 
best  advantage  on  the  sheet. 

The  margins  at  the  sides  of  a  letter  ahould  b« 
deep,  provided  the  letter  is  short. 

Very  truly  yours, 

THE  B.  F.  OOCSBICH  BXSBWSR   C0MPA1I7 


Correapondenoe  Superriaor. 


iroz 


out  having  arranged  for  payment  upon  |  presentation  at  your  Bank, 
and  prefer  to  be  under  the  impression  that  there  has  been  a  mistake.^ 
I  hope  that  |  this  will  be  confirmed  by  your  making  good  at  once.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (73) 

1  Subject    2  Suggests  gravity  of  offense  if  intentional    3  Appeals  to  pride 


CORRESPONDENCE  WITH  ATTORNEYS 

1 

Mr.  J.  P.  Diamond,  Attorney, 

503  Woodland  Avenue, 
Columbus,  Ohio. 
Dear  Sir: 

I  shall  appreciate  your  assistance  in  determining  what  disposi- 
tion was  made  of  the  Chair  and  Table  shipped  to  |  Mr.  A.  Blum  of 
29  First  Street,  your  city,  on  July  20.^ 

You  will  see  by  the  inclosed  copy  |  of  our  letter  of  December  21 
that  we  requested  this  customer  to  return  these  items  to  us  by  freight  | 


142  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

and  it  seems  we  made  shipment  after  he  had  asked  us  to  cancel  this 
part  of  his  order.  We  have  |  not,  however,  received  a  reply  nor  have 
the  goods  been  returnel.^ 

There  is  $17.00  outstanding  against  this  man  |  for  these  items. 
Will  you  not  try  either  to  secure  their  return  or,  if  he  has  returned 
them,  to  get  |  him  to  send  us  the  bill  of  lading.^  I  shall  greatly  appre- 
ciate your  help.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (137) 

1  Subject    2  Explanation    3  Asks  action 

2 

A.  E.  Huddlestun  &  Brothers, 

Chicago,  lUinois. 
Gentlemen : 

We  to-day  succeeded  in  collecting  the  full  amount  due  from 
the  Bates  Street  Pharmacy  to  your  firm  in  the  |  amount  of  $565.50. 
W'e  inclose  State  Bank  of  Springfield  draft  on  Chicago,  No.  |  472240, 
payable  to  your  order  for  $565.50,  |  and  also  inclose  you  our  bill  for 
services  and  expenses.^ 

From  the  time  that  the  Johnson  Brothers'  mortgage  was  |  good 
against  bankruptcy,  we  took  the  matter  up  with  them  and  told  them 
of  the  situation  that  existed.  A  few  j  days  later  Mr.  Penn  called  Mr. 
Brown  and  told  him  that  he  was  trying  to  arrange  to  meet  us  on  | 
Saturday,  but  was  unable  to' do  so.  He  met  us  to-day  and  delivered 
the  money  and  pedd  off  both  our  |  mortgage  and  the  Johnson  Brothers' 
mortgage.^ 

We  hope  this  is  closed  to  your  satisfaction.^ 

Yours  truly,     (156) 

1  Subject    2  Explanation     3  Courteous  summary 

3 

James,  O'Connor  &  ReiUy, 

Akron,  Ohio. 
Gentlemen: 

Attention  of  Mr.  James. 

We  attach  for  collection  a  statement  of  our  claim  against  F."  A. 
Sarles,  Hartford,   Connecticut,   amounting  |  to  $53.95.^ 

This  account  has  been  in  the  hands  of  another  forwarding  agency, 
but  I  we  are  not  satisfied  that  a  sufficient  effort  has  been  made  to 
effect  collection. 2 


CORRESPONDENCE  WITH  ATTORNEYS     143 

At  one  time  the  debtor  informed  |  our  Philadelphia  Branch  that 
goods  were  being  returned  for  credit.  The  goods  never  Eurived,  how- 
ever, and  the  debtor  could  not  |  produce  evidence  that  the  goods  had 
actually  been  sent  back.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (93) 

1  Subject    2  Elxplanation    3  Further  explanation 

4 

Fulton,  Felder  &  Company, 

Lumber  Exchange  Building, 
Minneapohs,  Minnesota. 
Gentlemen: 

RtHNIELY    GRAIN    COMPANY,    MINNEAPOLIS,    MINNESOTA. 

We  observe  that  the  report  from  your  attorney  quoted  in  your 
letter  of  May  |  11  does  not  state  whether  all  of  the  creditors  have 
agreed  to  the  extension  asked  for  by  Mr.  Paul;  and  |  since  in  January 
your  attorney  reported  that  all  but  a  few  of  the  creditors  had  agreed 
to  this  extension,  we  |  should  be  pleased  to  know  whether  any  of  them 
are  still  holding  out.^ 

Are  we  to  understand  that  the  property  |  of  the  rumley  grain 
COMPANY,  listed  in  your  attorney's  recent  report,  is  still  in  Minneapolis.^ 
If  it  is,  and  if  |  your  attorney  cannot  get  something  definite  out  of 
Mr.  Paul  in  the  early  future,  what  do  you  think  of  trying  |  the  effect 
of  a  suit  and  levy?  ^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (iso) 

1  Subject    2  Asks  opinion 

5 

Hoyle  &  Spooner, 

Findlay,  Ohio. 
Gentlemen: 

LAMONT   GARAGE,    LAMONT,    PENNSYLVANIA. 

B-14800 

Our  file  indicates  that  the  claim  against  the  lamont  garage  | 
was  reduced  to  judgment  on  the  recommendation  of  your  attorney  to 
the  effect  that  a  judgment  would  be  collectible  on  |  execution.^ 

There  is  nothing  in  the  correspondence  to  indicate  that  execu- 
tion has  ever  issued  on  our  judgment,  and  nothing  to  |  indicate  that 
if  execution  did  issue,  the  amount  of  our  judgment  would  not  be  real- 
ized.    According  to  your  last  report,  |  your  second  attorney  has  re- 


144  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

turned  the  claim  stating  that  the  firm  has  been  out  of  business  for  a 
long  time.-  | 

Perhaps  we  are  to  infer  from  this  that  the  judgment  is  not 
collectible.  But  before  we  close  our  file,  we  |  should  like  to  have  an 
attorney  tell  us  in  so  many  words  that  the  judgment  cannot  be  col- 
lected, and  we  |  should  hke  to  have  something  definite  as  to  the  debtor's 
present  condition.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (155) 

1  Subject    2  Explanation    3  Asks  action 

6 

Mr.  Walter  Saunders, 
Wells  Building, 

Atlanta,  Georgia. 
Dear  Sir: 

ROYAL  GARAGE,  RALEIGH,  NORTH  CAROLINA.^ 

#29 

You  will  remember  from  your  attorney's  report  that  the  debtor  | 
claimed  before  the  Justice  not  to  have  accepted  all  of  the  goods  shipped, 
and  to  have  returned  some  of  what  |  he  did  accept.^  Now  it  occurs  to 
us  that  before  handing  down  judgment  on  the  debtor's  testimony, 
the  Justice  should  |  at  least  insist  upon  the  debtor  producing  a  bill  of 
lading  or  an  express  receipt  showing  that  he  returned  some  |  of  the 
goods.  Or  if  su€h  a  paper  cannot  be  produced,  the  debtor  should  show 
by  the  records  of  the  |  Transportation  Company  that  they  were  re- 
turned.^ 

We  are  instructing  our  Branch  to  prove  delivery  of  all  of  our 
shipments,  so  |  as  to  show  how  much  goods  he  returned.  And  we 
beheve  that  he  should  submit  actual  proof,  and  that  his  |  mere  unsup- 
ported testimony  is  not  sufficient.* 

Will  you  kindly  instruct  your  attorney  to  have  the  case  ^  con- 
tinued for  a  month  |  or  two  to  enable  us  to  get  the  proof  of  deUvery.^  ^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (174) 

1  General   subject    2  Previous   facts    3  Subject   of   this   letter    4  Repeats   for   emphasis 
5  Asks  action 


EMPLOYMENT  145 


EMPLOYMENT 

Both  the  employer  and  the  employee  are  benefited  if 
letters  on  the  subject  of  employment  are  well  handled. 
The  employer  desires  to  put  the  right  man  in  the  right 
place,  and  the  employee  desires  to  give  intelligent  service. 
Both  desires  should  appear  in  the  correspondence. 

1 

Mr.  George  W.  Connelly, 

4926  Rice  Avenue, 
Akron,  Ohio. 
Dear  Sir: 

You  have  been  named  as  a  reference  by  Mr.  Frank  E.  Fisher, 
in  making  application  for  a  position  |  in  our  Sales  organization.^ 

Any  information  that  you  may  be  able  to  give  us  in  regard  to 
his  experience  in  |  sales  correspondence,  or  in  regard  to  his  personal 
characteristics,  initiative,  habits,  and  integrity  wiU  be  appreciated 
and  considered  confidential.^ 

Yours  I  very  truly,     (62) 
1  Subject    2  Specific  request;   courteously  avoids  taking  reply  for  granted 


2 

Mr.  C.  B.  Feist, 

Quincy,  Massachusetts. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  have  received  your  letter  of  May  7  with  reference  to  a  posi- 
tion with  our  Company.^ 

We  have  |  nothing  to  offer  you  at  the  present  time  in  the  sales 
department,  but  should  you  be  interested  in  a  general  |  office  position 
we  should  be  pleased  to  give  you  careful  consideration  for  any  of  the 
positions  now  open  which  we  |  might  find  suited  to  your  capabifities.^ 

If  you  will  kindly  fill  out  and  return  the  attached  application 
blank,  together  with  |  your  photograph,  we  shall  be  able  to  consider 
the  matter  more  intelligently,  and  thus  determine  whether  or  not  it 


146  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

would  I  be  worth  your  while  to  come  to  Lancaster  for  a  personal 
interview.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (115) 
1  Acknowledgment    2  Subject    3  Asks  action 


3 

Mr.  C.  J.  Riley, 

415  South  Grand  Avenue, 
South  Bend,  Indiana. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  have  not  yet  heard  from  you  in  reply  to  our  letter  of  April  24, 
suggesting  that  |  you  call  at  our  office  for  an  interview  at  your  early 
convenience.^  We  should  be  pleased  to  have  you  inform  |  us  if  it  is 
your  intention  to  call  on  us  any  time  in  the  near  future,  in  order  that 
we  I  may  make  our  plans  accordingly.^ 

We  have  a  number  of  desirable  positions  open  now,  and  can 
undoubtedly  use  your  services  |  to  advantage  if  you  can  qualify.^ 

'  Very  truly  yours,     (89) 

1  Subject,  failure  to  reply     2  Asks  action     3  Further  inducement  to  action 

4 

Mr.  T.  Lee, 

94  Carry  Street, 

Quincy,  Illinois. 
Dear  Sir: 

Under  date  of  May  1,  1917,  you  made  application  for  a  position 
with  our  Company,  but  at  |  that  time  we  had  nothing  of  interest  to 
offer  you.^ 

We  now  have  a  number  of  positions  open  in  our  |  various  de- 
partments, and  if  you  are  still  desirous  of  being  connected  with  our 
organization,  we  should  be  pleased  to  hear  |  from  you.^ 

In  the  event  that  you  are  interested  at  this  time,  wiU  you  kindly 
state  the  salary  you  would  |  expect  at  the  start,  just  when  you  could 
report  for  work,  and  the  classification  you  have  been  given  in  the  | 
Federal  draft,  in  order  that  we  may  give  the  matter  proper  considera- 
tion.^ 

It  would  also  be  advisable  to  send  us  |  a  photograph  of  yourself.* 

Very  truly  yours,     (127) 

1  Reference    2  Subject    3  Asks  action     4  Emphasizes  important  item 


EMPLOYMEiNT  147 

5 

Mr.  R.  Wheeler, 

109  Fair  Street, 

Waukegan,  Illinois. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  have  carefully  gone  over  the  application  blank  which  you 
sent  us  on  May  13,  and  would  suggest  |  that  you  call  on  us  as  soon 
as  possible  after  the  expiration  of  your  present  school  term.^ 

We  of  course  |  are  unable  to  determine  definitely  in  just  what  line 
of  work  we  could  use  you  to  the  best  advantage,  as  |  you  did  not  send 
us  your  photograph,  but  we  believe  we  can  use  you  in  connection 
with  at  least  one  j  of  the  positions  we  now  have  open.^ 

It  would  be  necessary  for  you  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the 
physical  |  examination  required  of  all  people  entering  our  employ,  but 
if  you  have  no  physical  defects  and  are  in  perfect  health,  |  you  should 
have  no  difficulty  in  coming  up  to  our  standard  in  this  respect.^ 

You  may  be  interested  to  know  |  that  we  maintain  a  Housing 
Bureau  in  connection  with  our  Employment  Department  and  are 
glad  to  assist  new  employees  in  |  getting  satisfactorily  located.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (166) 

1  Subject    2  Note  cautious  beginning  and  positive  ending  of  these  paragraphs    3  Induce- 
ments to  action 


148  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 


LETTERS   OF  APPRECIATION 

The  ability  to  say  "Thank  you"  cordially  and  sincerely, 
and  the  willingness  to  say  it  frequently  in  return  for  cour- 
tesies, are  matters  of  primary  importance  to  the  writer  of 
business  letters. 


My  dear  Mr.  Daniel: 

I  have  asked  the  secretary  of  the  Executives'  Club  to  send  you 
a  guest  card.^  I  |  hope  that  you  will  have  frequent  opportunity  of 
using  it.- 

It  is  an  especial  pleasure  to  return  in  this  way  |  the  courtesy 
you  showed  me  on  my  visit  to  Pittsburgh.^ 

Sincerely  yours,     (52) 

Mr.  Bernhard  Daniel, 
Hotel  Belmont, 

New  York  City.^ 

1  Subject    2  Courtesy     3  Appreciation     4  Note  permissible  position  of  address  in   letter 
to  personal  friend  from  individual,  not  from  company 

2 

The  Sugar  Trade  Journal, 

239  West  Twenty-eighth  Street, 
New  York  City. 
Dear  Mr.  Bell: 

Attention  of  Mr.  E.  R.  Bell. 

I  appreciate  the  copy  of  "Sugar  Refining  and  Merchandising" 
which  you  |  sent  me.^ 

I  have  read  it  often  and  with  much  interest,  and  it  contains 
considerable  information  that  while  known  to  |  me  had  never  im- 
pressed me  just  the  way  it  would  the  outsider.  I  was  accordingly  very 
glad  to  note  Mr.  |  Dodge's  treatment  of  the  subject.^ 

I  beheve  it  will  prove  of  interest  and  be  of  real  practical  value 


LETTERS  OF  APPRECIATION  149 

tx)  the  I  man  who  wants  to  perfect  himself  along  general  lines  in  the 
sugar  business.^ 

W  ith  best  wishes  for  the  continued  success  |  of  your  enterprise,* 

Very  truly  yours,     (106) 

1  Thanks    2  Personal  benefit    3  Benefit  to  others     4  Cordial  ending 

3 

My  dear  IVIiss  ]\Iorse: 

You  know  already  how  strongly  I  feel  about  the  service  which 
you  did  us  in  your  |  talk  Friday,  so  that  any  further  words  of  mine 
are  unnecessary.^ 

I  do  want  to  say  on  paper,  however,  that  |  your  coming  was  a 
great  service  to  the  cause  of  education  and  to  the  cause  of  improving 
the  position  of  |  women  in  the  United  States.^  Your  promised  address 
at  the  Vocational  Conference  will  intensify  that  service  as  well  as 
give  I  us  another  great  pleasure.^ 

You  will  find  inclosed  *  a  check  for  fifteen  dollars  from  the  school, 
the  honorarium  which  the  |  directors  voted.  We  do  not  look  upon 
this  as  compensation  for  your  service,  and  it  may,  perhaps,  not  even 
cover  I  your  actual  expense,  although  I  hope  so.  It  merely  represents 
a  much  larger  sum  which  we  should  like  to  give  |  in  recognition  of 
what  you  have  done  for  us. 

With  warm  regards. 

Very  faithfully  yours,     (155) 
Miss  Ahce  L.  Morse, 

R.  A.  Havens  &  Company, 
Chicago,  Illinois. 

1  Subject;  thanks  for  an  address     2  Subject  amplified     3  Indirectly  reminds  reader  of  future 
engagement     4  Inclosure  less  important  than  the  "thank  you,"  and  so  does  not  come  fii-st 

4 

My  dear  Mr.  White: 

I  think  that  you  have  a  perfect  right  to  ask  to  be  relieved  of 
your  labors  |  in  the  Shipping  Board  ^  and  I  feel  obliged  by  the  argu- 
ment you  have  used  to  accept  your  resignation  from  the  |  board.' 

In  doing  so,  however,  may  I  not  express  my  appreciation  of  the 
sense  of  public  duty  with  which  you  |  have  served  and  thank  you 
for  the  time  and  labor  you  have  devoted  to  the  important  business  of 
a  great  |  instrumentaUty  of  government.'^  ^ 

Cordially  and  sincerely  yours,     (87) 

1  Agrees  with  spirit  of  letter  received     2  Subject     3  Appreciation  of  service 


150  CONSTRUCTIVE    DICTATION    EXERCISES 

Style  IV.  — TWO  FOLD   LETTER  SHEET 

Folded  twice  fox  envelope  insertion;    this  was  written  on  a  sheet 
7t  X  11.     Note  also  reference  to  inclosure. 


OFFICERS  AND  EXECUTIVE  COMMITTEE 


MuSniiii!!  Agioennllks!  ®i!  MsHaal  CS®ll!iai®!r^ 


OFFICE  OF  SECRETARY 


Des  Moines.  Iowa. 
August  5,    1918. 


J.    H.   Hartman  &  Co., 
Moline,   Illinois. 

« 
Gentlemen: 

Three  thousand  of  the  leading  retail  clothiers 
of  the  United  States  are  members  of  the  National 
Association  of  Retail  Clothiers. 

Do  you  want  to  know  why  these  three  thousand 
progressive,  aggressive  clothiers  find  it  to 
their  advantage  to  keep  up  their  membership  in 
this  Association? 

Just  tell  us  on  the  enclosed  card  that  you  want 
to  know,  and  one  of  our  field  men  will  call  to 
explain  in  fullest  detail. 

We  really  expect  to  hear  from  you  by  return  mail. 

Very  truly  yoxuyi 


Secretary, 
RATIONAL  ASSOCIATION  OF  RETAIL  CLOTHIERS. 


CSW:IW 
Enc. 


LETTERS  OF  APPRECIATION  151 

5 

My  dear  General  Goethals: 

Your  letter  of  July  20  does  you  great  honor.  It  is  conceived  in 
a  fine  spirit  |  of  public  duty,  such  as  I  have  learned  to  expect  of  you. 
T^iis  is,  as  you  say,  a  case  where  |  the  service  of  the  public  is  tlie  only 
thing  to  be  considered.  Personal  feeUngs  and  personal  preferences 
must  be  resolutely  |  set  aside;  and  we  must  do  the  thing  that  is  most 
serviceable.^  It  is  with  that  thought  in  mind  that  |  I  feel  constrained 
to  say  that  I  think  that  you  have  interpreted  your  duty  rightly .^ 

No  impartial  determination  of  the  |  questions  at  issue  can  now 
set  the  ship  building  program  promptly  and  effectively  on  its  way  to 
completion  and  success.  |  It  is  best  that  we  take  the  self -forget  ting 
course  you  suggest  and  begin  again  with  a  fresh  sheet  of  |  paper,  — 
begin,  not  the  ship  building,  but  the  further  administration  of  the 
program.  The  ship  building  is,  happily,  in  large  |  part  begun,  and 
can  now  readily  be  pushed  to  completion  if  the  cdr  be  cleared  of  the 
debates  that  have  |  unfortunately  darkened  it.^ 

With  deep  appreciation,  therefore,  of  your  generous  attitude 
and  with  genuine  admiration  of  what  you  have  been  |  able  in  a  short 
time  to  accomplish,  I  accept  your  resignation,  and  feel  that  in  doing 
so  I  am  acting  |  upon  your  best  judgment  as  well  as  my  own.^  I  hope 
that  you  will  feel  the  same  undoubting  confidence  that  |  I  feel  that 
the  people  of  the  coimtry,  for  whom  you  have  rendered  great  service, 
will  judge  you  justly  and  |  generously  in  this  as  in  other  tilings,  and 
that  all  personal  misunderstandings  and  misjudgments  that  have  been 
created  will  pass  |  in  a  short  time  entirely  away.^ 

With  warm  regards. 

Cordially  and  sincerely  yours,     (293) 

1  Interprets  spirit  of  the  action     2  Subject;  accepts  resignation     3  General  considerations 
4  Subject  made  specific    5  Appreciation  of  service 


152  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 


LETTERS  TO   SALESMEN 

The  manager's  task  in  writing  to  salesmen  is  to  help 
them  sell  the  amount  of  goods  that  has  been  determined 
on  in  advance  as  the  proper  volume  of  business  for  the 
year.  He  gives  his  help  by  showing  appreciation,  giving 
constructive  suggestions,  distributing  praise  and  blame, 
and  smoothing  out  misunderstandings.  Enthusiastic  co- 
operation should  be  the  keynote  of  his  letters,  though 
often  a  sharp  inquiry  will  stir  a  slow-going  salesman  into 
action. 

1 

Baker,  Van  Zandt  Company, 

New  Haven,  Connecticut. 
Gentlemen:  AUenlion  of  Purchasing  Agent. 

If  you  have  already  met  Mr.  Lewis  A.  Walton,  no  further  intro- 
duction from  us  will  |  be  necessary  —  he  can  speak  for  himself!     Hav- 
ing succeeded  Mr.  R.  W.  Means  in  New  York  State  and  a  portion  | 
of  Connecticut,  Mr.  Walton  will  hereafter  be  our  "ambassador"  at 
your  "court."  ^ 

Having  had  both  oflice  and  factory  training,  in  |  addition  to 
his  experience  as  a  salesman  of  folding  boxes,  Mr.  Walton  is  weU  quali- 
fied to  render  very  practical  assistance  |  to  all  users  of  lithographed 
products.  Please  feel  at  liberty  to  meike  use  of  his  helpful  advice  and 
suggestions.^ 

You  I  wiU  be  interested  in  the  beautiful  new  assortment  of 
samples  which  Mr.  Walton  will  carry  with  him.  These  samples  repre- 
sent I  our  entire  range  of  products,  such  as  lithographed  stationery, 
boxes,  show  cards,  labels,  etc.^ 

Of  coiu-se  you  know  how  ]  much  we  will  appreciate  your  giv- 
ing our  Mr.  Walton  a  hearing  when  he  arrives  in  your  city.^ 

Cordially  yours,     (159) 

1  Announces  a  new  salesman       2  Personal  qualifications       3  His  goods         4  Pleasantly 

suggests  action 


LETTERS  TO  SALESMEN  153 

2 

Mr.  Walter  Steele, 

Harrisburg,  Pa, 
Dear  Steele: 

You  are  certainly  not  leaving  any  gaps  in  your  territory.  I  was 
especially  pleased  to  see  you  get  |  that  order  on  Monday  from  the 
Johnson  Shoe  Company,  amd  then  when  you  got  over  to  Waterford 
get  an  additional  |  order  and  still  another  order  at  Warren.^ 

I  certainly  agree  with  you  that  from  the  report  you  give  as  to  | 
the  different  places,  your  business  should  be  good  during  the  coming 
month.    It  would  be  well  to  do  considerable  studying,  |  Steele,  in  order 
to  line  up  your  territory  and  find  your  work  so  as  to  avail  yourself  of 
every  opportunity,  |  and  cash  in  while  the  going  is  good.- 

We  shall  follow  up  your  visits  with  special  letters  from  this  office.  | 
Without  question,  these  letters  will  help  you  very  materially  on  your 
next  trip  and  in  all  probability  will  bring  in  |  good  mail  orders.^ 

Keep  going  —  keep  your  health  —  keep  up  your  record.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (155) 
1  Appreciation    2  Suggestion    3  Assistance    4  Summary 

3 

Deal  Mr.  Mason: 

What  do  you  think  of  the  inclosed  as  a  letter  to  be  mailed  out 
to  your  Peoria  |  customers?  We  drew  it  up  as  soon  as  we  received 
your  letter  telling  us  you  intended  to  call  on  several  |  people  there  next 
Saturday  and  regularly  in  the  future.^ 

We  are  very  glad  to  notice  that  you  have  found  time  j  to  take 
on  a  few  of  these  customers  at  Peoria,  and  hope  you  will  be  very  suc- 
cessful; we  shall  try  |  to  assist  you  in  every  way  we  can.-  We  have 
not  heard  from  you  further  concerning  your  giving  up  any  |  of  your 
towns  on  account  of  soliciting  the  trade  at  Peoria.  If  you  wish  to  do 
this,  please  inform  us  |  so  that  we  can  take  it  up  with  another  sales- 
man, and  arrange  with  him  to  take  over  these  towns.^ 

With  I  kind  regards,  we  are 

Very  truly  yours,     (U7) 
1  Inclosure;    assistance    2  Appreciation    3  Further  willingness  to  help 

4 

Dear  Frazer: 

Thanks  for  your  good  report  for  the  week  ending  June  29.^  I 
note  that  you  spent  a  |  portion  of  this  week  in  expert  work;    however. 


154  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

I  saw  at  a  glance  that  you  cashed  in  on  this  to  |  fuU  value  by  lining  up 
five  orders  at  Bush  and  two  at  Oil  Creek.    This  gives  you  a  fairly  good  | 
week  in  sales  and  at  the  same  time  gave  you  an  opportunity  to  educate 
your  dealers  on  the  sale  of  |  our  goods. 

^Yithout  question,  while  you  are  now  on  your  trip  west,  these 
fellows  will  be  working  in  good  shape  |  and  will  probably  send  iis  in  a 
number  of  mail  orders.  No  doubt  you  will  be  able  to  get  some  |  nice 
orders  from  them  on  your  next  trip  around  when  you  get  back  from 
the  West.2 

I  was  mighty  pleased  |  to  see  that  the  crop  conditions  continue 
very,  very  good.  Without  question,  this  means  more  business.  By 
working  along  the  |  lines  you  did  during  the  first  half  of  the  year,  you 
wiU  without  doubt  be  able  to  make  the  quota  |  set  by  yourself,  which 
you  in  compau^ing  will  find  considerably  above  that  given  you  from 
this  office.^ 

I  trust  this  I  finds  you  well.    With  best  wishes  from  here,  we  are 

Very  truly  yours,     (213) 

1  Appreciation    2  Intelligent  analysis  of   salesman's  plan    3  Encouragement   and   appre- 
ciation 

5 

Dear  Hanks: 

When  checking  /up  the  sales  column  in  your  report  for  week  end- 
ing June  29  I  was  pleased  |  to  find  that  it  shows  considerable  improve- 
ment, although  aU  -the  orders  are  for  the  small  assortments.^  This, 
however,  should  give  |  you  encouragement,  Hanks,  to  go  after  it, 
because  the  next  time  around  you  can  get  orders  for  the  large  assort- 
ments. I  The  main  thing  is  to  get  a  start,  for  when  you  get  your  feet 
on  the  ground,  it  is  a  |  very  much  easier  matter  then  to  get  moving 
and  to  show  some  good  business.^ 

From  the  report  that  you  have  |  made  out,  we  wiU  write  special 
letters  to  the  dealers  according  to  your  suggestion.  No  doubt  co-opera- 
tion in  this  way  |  will  assist  you  very  materially  in  your  next  visit 
and  in  all  probability  will  bring  home  some  good  orders  through  |  the 
mail.^ 

Your  report  this  week  is  gotten  up  in  very  nice  form.  That's 
the  way  we  like  to  see  |  them.* 

I  trust  that  the  coming  week  will  help  you  considerably  more. 
With  our  best  wishes,  we  are  ^ 

Very  truly  |  yours,     (I8i) 

1  Appreciation    2  Suggests  a  plan     3  Co-operation    4  Appreciation  of  a  detail     5  Cordial 
ending 


LETTERS  TO   SALESMEN  15; 


Salesman  J.  H.  Nelson, 

Dear  Nelson: 

I  was  pleased  to  see  you  get  those  nice  mattress  orders,  and  the 
good  variety  sold  on  each.^  j  The  Credit  Department  is  giving  special 
attention  to  the  order  from  Richmond,  but  we  hope  their  report  will 
be  favorable  |  so  that  we  can  make  prompt  shipment.^ 

In  making  out  your  reports,  George,  please  fill  in  the  last  column 
on  I  page  1,  so  that  your  report  will  be  entirely  complete.  In  this, 
answer  the  questions  as  given  at  the  head  |  of  the  column.  These 
reports  are  referred  to  very  frequently  here  at  the  office,  and  unless 
your  report  comes  in  |  complete,  it  is  very  embarrassing  to  have  a 
record  and  still  have  none,  on  account  of  the  failure  of  the  |  person 
making  out  the  report  to  have  it  complete.^  It  takes  but  a  few  min- 
utes to  make  out  your  report ;  |  do  this  daily,  —  each  evening.  Then, 
when  Saturday  night  comes,  your  report  is  complete  and  you  simply 
fold  it  up  I  and  put  it  into  the  mail  and  send  it  on  to  the  factory.^ 

Here's  believing  that  the  coming  week  will  |  bring  forth  good 
results. 

Very  truly  yours,     (187) 

1  Appreciation     2  Warns  of  a  possibly  "weak  credit"     3  Friendly  criticism    4  Suggests 
easy  action 

7 

Mr.  S.  E.  Carr, 

Salesman  No.  60. 
Dear  Sir: 

Mr.  A.  W.  Rose  writes  us  from  Cairo,  Illinois,  that  he  is  about 
to  open  a  general  store  1  there  and  wants  one  of  our  general  catalogues. 
We  sent  this  to  him.^ 

He  tells  us  that  he  is  acquainted  |  AArith  you,  and  although  Cairo 
is  on  Mr.  Westkott's  supplementary  list,  if  you  beheve  you  can  get 
any  business  from  |  Mr.  Rose,  we  believe  you  had  best  make  an  effort 
to  see  him.  If  you  secure  an  order  we  shall  |  be  glad  to  transfer  the 
town  to  yoiu"  list.^ 

We  want  you  to  decide  about  this,^  but  let  us  know  |  at  once. 

Yours  truly,     (104) 

1  Information     2  Co-operation    3  Confidence  in  salesman 


156  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

8 

Mr.  P.  E.  Forgan, 

Salesman  No.  19. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  have  just  learned  that  the  Saratoga  Dry  Goods  Company, 
Saratoga,  New  York,  have  had  a  fire  loss  |  of  about  $7000.  It 
seems  that  we  have  never  done  anything  with  them,  yet  this  seems  a 
splendid  |  opportunity  to  get  started,  for  they  will  need  a  great  deal 
of  new  stock.^ 

We  suggest  that  you  look  them  I  up  at  your  first  opportunity 
and  see  if  you  can't  get  a  wedge  in  somewhere.'^  If  you  need  any  assist- 
ance, I  please  let  us  know  and  we  shall  be  glad  to  help  you  all  we  can.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (98) 

1  Information     2  Suggests   action     3  Co-operation 

9 

Mr.  Harry  Van  Stein, 

Salesman  No.  75. 
Dear  Sir: 

The  Jackson  Hardward  Company,  Jackson,  Michigan,  have  an 
ammunition  contract  with  us  which  expires  June  1,  this  year.  |  They 
have  bought  $350.50  worth  of  goods  to  apply  on  this  contract  and 
should  I  purchase  $149.50  worth  still  before  the  contract  is  completed 
so  that  they  can  |  receive  the  advantage  of  the  low  contract  price.^ 

Suppose  you  take  the  matter  up  with  them  on  your  next 
visit  I  to  Jackson  and  see  if  you  can't  get  an  order  sufficient  to  make 
up  the  balance  due  on  the  contract,  j  Let  me  know  what  you  are 
able  to  accomplish.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (112) 

1  Information    2  Asks  action 

10 

Mr.  E.  C.  Orton, 

Salesman  No.  125. 
Dear  Sir: 

Upon  going  through  the  various  carloads  for  distribution  at 
Bangor,  we  note  that  the  car  of  sleds,  coasters,  |  velocipedes  and 
wagons  has  apparently  been  overlooked  by  several  of  our  salesmen.^ 

You  can  use  this  point  so  well,  we  |  were  in  hopes  you  would 


LETTERS  TO   SALESMEN  157 

have  a  great  many  orders  for  ttiis  car,  but  we  do  not  find  you  have  | 
contributed. - 

It  is  our  desire  to  complete  this  car  at  a  very  early  date  and,  there- 
fore, we  request  you  to  |  bear  this  in  mind  when  calling  on  your  cus- 
tomers during  the  next  two  or  three  weeks.  Velocipedes  and  wagons  | 
can  be  included  with  their  orders  for  sleds  and  coasters.  We  should 
have  no  difficulty  whatever  in  securing  a  nice  big  |  car  for  distribu- 
tion at  Bangor.  There  are  a  dozen  men  working  on  this  car  and  we 
are  confident  that  you  |  can  be  depended  upon  to  furnish  us  about 
1500  pounds  of  weight.^ 

Please  acknowledge  receipt  of  this  letter,  and  |  tell  us  that  we 
can  load  a  nice  lot  of  these  goods  for  your  customers.^ 

Yours  truly,     (177) 

1  Information  about  goods  tliat  must  be  sold     2  Shows  confidence  in  ability     3  Urges  ac- 
tion    4  Cordiality  and  emphasis 

11 

Dear  Judson: 

On  looking  over  your  report  for  the  week  ending  May  10,  I  was 
very  sorry  to  see  that  |  you  were  obhged  to  travel  the  entire  week 
without  making  a  score.^  This  is  surely  a  streak  of  hard  luck;  |  how- 
ever, I  hope  that  you  secured  sufficient  information  from  your  visit  to 
enable  you  to  get  right  down  to  business  |  on  your  next  trip  and  get 
some  orders  in  with  at  least  a  portion  of  the  dealers  that  you  have  | 
called  on. 2 

If  you  get  in  a  few  and  carry  out  your  work  as  outlined  to  you 
in  a  letter  |  I  wrote  you  a  few  days  ago,  it  will  surely  put  you  in  a  posi- 
tion to  get  some  real  business,  |  especially  in  view  of  the  fact  that  you 
are  backed  up  by  an  enormous  crop  coming  on  and  the  fact  |  that 
you  have  a  product  unexcelled  by  anyone  and  manufactured  by  an 
exclusive  manufacturer  of  this  one  line.^ 

^^  ith  best  I  wishes  therefore  for  some  good  deals  this   coming 

week,  I  am 

Very  truly  yours,     (174) 

1  Sympathy,  not  censure    2  Suggests  a  plan    3  Further  plan,  and  reminder  of  reasons  for 
expecting  success 

12 
Dear  Jamison : 

Your  letter  of  May  26  reached  here  in  due  time,  and  though  you 
did  not  receive  a  |  prompt  reply,  you  may  be  sure  it  received  proper 
attention.^ 

This  past  month  your  sales  have  been  very  much  better  |  and 


158  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

look  very  much  more  encouraging.  I  wish  to  advise  you,  however, 
to  take  the  orders  and  get  them  clean  |  out  without  any  "riders"  so 
that  there  is  no  possibihty  for  any  discussion  after  the  hghting  outfit 
has  been  shipped  |  and  the  payment  is  due.  When  you  have  sold  a 
man  it  is  reaUy  easier  to  get  your  order  straight,  |  clean  cut  than  it  is 
to  have  some  little  "if"  on  it  which  gives  the  party  a  chance  to  open  | 
discussions.  This,  of  course,  is  bad  business  because  it  takes  an  addi- 
tional amount  of  your  time  without  producing  any  results.^  | 

Please,  therefore,  give  this  point  very  careful  consideration  and 
see  if  you  can't,  in  the  future,  arrange  to  take  all  |  your  orders  with- 
out any  provisions  in  them.^  Then  we  can  arrange  to  accept  the  order 
promptly  and  by  so  doing  |  your  customers  will  get  very  much  better 
service.^ 

I  have  arranged  to  place  you  on  the  basis  of  $150  |  per  month. 
Doing  this  necessitates  raising  your  volume  quota  from  $18,000  to 
$30,000  and  |  changing  your  cost  quota  from  13.65  %  to  11  %. 

Please,  therefore,  arrange  to  acknowledge  |  this  by  return  mail, 
as  the  new  schedule  goes  into  effect  July  1. 

Very  truly  yours,     (256) 

1  Acknowledgment    2  Appreciation    3  Friendly    criticism    4  Emphasis,    with    appeal    to 
self-interest 

13 

Dear  Hugo: 

I  received  your  letter  with  reference  to  Jacobsen  Brothers  at 
Green  Bay,  telling  us  that  Mr.  Arthur  Jacobsen  |  is  coming  there  to 
assume  charge  of  the  business.^ 

I  have  personally  known  Art  Jacobsen  for  a  great  many  years.  | 
He  measures  up  very  well  with  Jacobsen  Brothers.  He  is  a  very  nice 
gentleman  to  meet,  but  not  altogether  easy  |  to  do  business  with. 
He  is  a  shrewd  buyer  and  always  looking  for  a  little  extra  inducement 
of  some  kind.  |  If  my  memory  serves  me  right  he  has  been  quite  a 
steady  customer  of  our  competitors  for  a  number  of  |  years,  no  doubt 
owing  to  some  special  arrangement  that  he  has  there,  and  for  this 
reason,  as  long  as  your  |  friend  Eastman  is  calhng  on  the  trade  out 
there  for  these  people,  I  do  not  believe  getting  this  business  will  | 
be  any  easier  for  you  than  it  has  been  in  the  past.- 

It  wiU  require  some  courage  on  your  part  |  to  go  after  him  gootl 
and  strong  until  you  become  better  acquainted  with  him;  then  you 
will  know  better  how  |  to  handle  him.^ 

You  are  quite  right  about  the  sales  report;    we  have  both  been 


LETTERS  TO  SALESMEN  159 

somewhat  disappointed  in  the  amount  |  of  business  we  have  been  able 
to  do  in  your  territory,  but  I  know  mighty  well  that  you  are  right  | 
when  you  say  you  have  done  your  best.  I  am  now  trying  to  figure 
out  some  way  by  which  I  |  can  help  you  to  improve  your  territory, 
and  as  soon  as  I  get  a  little  further  along  with  this,  I  |  shall  no  doubt 
want  you  to  come  into  Chicago  to  go  over  the  matter  with  you.  I 
believe  we  can  |  make  an  arrangement  by  which  we  can  take  on  some 
towns  that  would  be  more  productive,  and  drop  some  of  |  the  non- 
productive ones.  This  wpuld  enable  you  to  secure  a  larger  volume. 
I  shall  let  you  hear  from  me  more  |  definitely  a  little  later.^ 
With  kind  regards,  I  am 

Very  truly  yours,     (332) 

1  Subject    2  Information    3  Encouragement 


14 

Mr.  F.  H.  Clark, 

Salesman  No.  31. 
Dear  Sir: 

It  seems  you  are  not  getting  started  very  well  at  Peru,  Illinois, 
with  A.  C.  Jackson.^  Are  you  |  caUing  regularly,^  and  what  are  our 
prospects  of  getting  a  liberal  share  of  his  business.^  We  shall  be  pleased 
if  I  you  will  write  about  this. 

Yours  very  truly,     (48) 

1  Criticism    2  Suggests  action 


15 

Mr.  Paul  Verstigen, 

Salesman  No.  348. 
Dear  Verstigen : 

How  do  you  account  for  the  decrease  in  the  account  of  M.  L. 
Mantel,   Morristown,  New  Jersey?  ^     They  |  bought  about  $1200  in 
1915,  but  taking  into  consideration  the  advanced  prices  it  looks  as  | 
though  they  had  bought  only  about  one  half  this  amount  in  1916.^ 

Can  we  look  for  an  increased  business  j  with  them  this  year.^ 
Write  us  a  good  strong  letter  about  it.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (75) 

1  Criticism    2  Information    3  Implies  that  the  writer  wants  evidence  of  good  intentions 


160  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

16 

Mr.  Frank  O.  Brooke, 

Salesman  No.  8. 
Dear  Sir: 

It  seems  that  they  are  making  up  carloads  of  roofing  in  every 
other  state  but  Ohio.^ 

We  certainly  |  do  not  want  to  be  a  back  number  in  the  good  old 
Buckeye  State  and  I  am  wondering  what  you  [  and  Mr.  Miller  could 
accomplish  over  there  for  a  car  for  shipment  from  Cleveland.  If  not 
a  car  of  roofing,  |  could  we  not  make  up  a  car  of  velocipedes,  sleds,  and 
wagons  .►^  2 

The  latter  three  items  can  be  shipped  together.  |  The  minimum 
weight  for  one  car  is  10,000  pounds. 

Come  back  at  me  strong  and  show  what  you  can  |  do.  We're 
right  behind  you  with  the  goods.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (ill) 

1  Arouses  competition    2  Urges  action    3  Co-operation 


17 

Dear  Mr.  Perrine: 

You  will  no  doubt  remember  that  we  told  all  the  boys  at  our 
annual  meeting  that  the  |  Buck  Company  had  given  us  the  State  of 
Vermont  exclusively  for  their  lines.  If  we  expect  to  keep  this  terri- 
tory, I  we  shall,  of  course,  have  to  get  some  business,  or  they  will  feel 
compelled  to  terminate  this  arrangement.^ 

So  far  I  this  year  we  have  done  very  little  business  in  Vermont 
in  the  fixtures  lines,  and  we  must  get  busy  right  |  away.  We  would 
suggest  that  when  you  call  upon  your  trade  you  improve  your  idle 
moments  to  look  over  the  |  stores  carefully  and  if,  in  your  opinion,  a 
customer  needs  a  new  set  of  fixtures,  a  special  display  case  or  |  a  cigar 
case,  or  in  fact  anything  in  the  fixtures  line,  report  it  to  us  and  we 
will  have  the  |  promotion  department  of  the  Buck  Company  start 
some  advertising  matter  at  once  to  interest  the  customer.  Make  a 
note  of  I  this;  the  next  time  you  call  upon  him  take  the  matter  up 
again.    Often  a  procedure  of  this  kind  will  |  lead  up  to  a  nice  sale.^ 

Our  fountain  and  fixtures  department  has  been  doing  a  wonderful 
business.  The  month  of  |  March  this  year  will  undoubtedly  be  the 
largest  month  we  have  ever  had  in  this  department,  but  very  little 


LETTERS  TO   SALESMEN  161 

of  [  it  comes  from  Vermont,  and  we  are  very  anxious  for  all  of  om* 
Vermont  salesmen  to  make  a  special  effort  |  on  these  goods.' 

This  deserves  a  lot  of  your  attention,  —  it  will  more  than  repay 
you.* 

Very  truly  yours,     (259) 

1  Information    2  A  plan  for  action     3  Encouragement    4  Appeals  to  self-interest 

18 

Dear  Mr,  Goldberg: 

We  note  on  your  order  for  L.  P.  IVIacdonald  Dry  Goods  Com- 
pany, Marinette,  Wisconsin,  six  dozen  House  |  Dresses  priced  at  less 
10%  discount.^  Unfortunately  for  us  and  fortunately  for  them,  this 
discount  escaped  the  notice  j  of  the  scanners  and  the  order  was  filled 
before  we  discovered  it.  Otherwise  the  order  would  have  been  de- 
clined, but  I  as  the  goods  have  gone  forward  we  shall,  of  course,  have 
to  bill  them  at  the  price  specified.^ 

We  simply  |  cannot  understand  how  you  came  to  give '  this 
discount  of  10  %  on  this  order,  for  it  does  not  |  leave  us  a  sufficient 
profit.  We  thought  we  would  call  your  attention  to  the  matter  so 
that  you  would  not  |  give  this  discount  to  anyone  in  the  future. 

As  before  stated,  the  fact  that  this  order  was  filled  was  due  | 
to  an  oversight,  and  we  wish  it  understood  that  this  does  not  estabhsh 
a  precedent  for  future  transactions.^ 

Very  truly  |  yours,     (iGi) 

1  States  fact    2  Consequences  —  a  loss  for  the  house     3  Censure     4  Emphasis 

19 

Mr.  C.  Brady, 

Salesman. 
Dear  Mr.  Brady: 

We  have  received  your  letter  of  INIarch  11,  relative  to  the  Rail- 
road Claim  which  we  have  made  |  for  A.  C.  Densmon.^ 

The  Government  in  taking  over  the  railroad  assumed  only  the 
control  and  not  very  much  of  |  the  responsibility,  especially  with 
regard  to  paying  freight  claims.  We,  therefore,  do  not  anticipate  any 
sudden  inrush  of  checks  covering  |  claims  that  we  have  made.  I  am 
doing  my  best  to  separate  the  railroad  company  from  enough  of  their 
cash  I  to  settle  our  claims,  but  I  have  not  yet  been  successful.- 

We  shall  keep  up  the  good  work,  however,  imtil  |  a  check  is 
received,  when  the  claims  will  be  adjusted  with  the  customers.'     In 


162  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

the  meantime  the  accounts  must  be  |  left  open  on  the  books  as  matter 
of  record. 

With  best  regards,  I  am 

Yours  very  truly,     (137) 

1  Acknowledgment    2  Humorous  reply     3  Promises  further  help 

20 

Dear  Weyman: 

With  reference  to  the  engines  that  the  people  at  Orient,  Illinois, 
have  refused  to  accept,  I  note  that  |  you  expect  to  see  these  people 
very  shortly.^ 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  we  are  a  couple  of  thousand  |  engines 
behind  order,  you  can  readily  see  the  importance  of  getting  prompt 
action,  because  while  hundreds  of  our  dealers  are  j  waiting  patiently 
for  shipments  of  engines,  we  cannot  afford  to  have  any  tied  up  at  a 
freight  station  because  a  \  dealer  has  refused  to  accept  them.^ 

Inasmuch  as  the  engine  season  is  opening  up  wonderfully  well, 
I  believe  that  you  |  will  be  able  to  take  care  of  this  very  nicely  and 
get  quick  action.  If,  however,  they  insist  on  their  |  original  stand, 
get  busy  and  sell  the  engines  to  some  other  dealer  and  get  them  into 
motion  so  that  we  |  can  bill  them  and  have  this  amount  appear  on 
the  regular  billing.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (155) 

1  Acknowledgment  of  information     2  Explains  need  for  action    3  Urges  action 

21 

Dear  Mr.  Pratt: 

We  are  mighty  sorry  that  your  order  for  Colorite  for  the  Badger 
Drug  Company  was  not  filled.  |  Evidently  it  must  have  been  misfiled, 
as  we  are  unable  to  locate  it.^ 

When  we  entered  another  order  for  one  |  gross  to  go  forward  to 
them  to-day,  we  found  that  our  stock  was  almost  completely  exhausted, 
so  that  we  are  j  unable  to  fill  the  order  until  we  obtain  further  supphes. 
The  manufacturers  carry  a  stock  of  Colorite  here  in  Chicago,  |  and 
they  have  a  car  on  the  way,  which  has  been  delayed.- 

As  soon  as  this  car  reaches  us  and  |  we  obtain  further  supplies 
we  shall  fill  the  order  for  the  Badger  Drug  Company.  This  is  the 
very  best  we  |  can  do.    Please  explain  the  matter  to  them.^ 

Very  truly,     (130) 
1  Regret    2  Remedy    3  Shows  desire  to  serve 


LETTERS  TO  SALESMEN  163 

22 
Dear  Mr.  Warren: 

We  have  your  letter  of  August  17.  We  are  certainly  sorry  that 
we  did  not  give  you  |  credit  for  all  sales  made  of  Rapid  Fire.  The 
facts  are  that  we  have  been  keeping  account  only  of  orders  |  taken  for 
future  delivery.^ 

We  notice  that  these  orders  were  specified  to  be  shipped  with 
first  drug  order.  They  were,  |  therefore,  attached  to  the  entry  cards 
and  did  not  come  to  our  department,  and  so  we  did  not  have  a  |  record 
of  them.  We  are  glad  to  notice  that  you  were  giving  these  matters 
better  attention  than  we  thought  you  |  were,  for  we  are  very  anxious 
to  have  our  salesmen  give  us  the  best  possible  co-operation  on  these 
items,  which  |  we  are  trying  to  seU.- 

We  notice  you  refer  to  oitr  letter  as  a  complaint;  it  was  not 
intended  as  |  such,  but  we  thought  it  would  be  perfectly  right  and 
proper  for  us  to  call  your  attention  to  these  matters,  |  as  they  are  of 
mutual  interest.^ 

We  are  sorry  that  you  have  returned  your  price  list  and  we 
believe  it  |  would  be  best  for  us  to  send  this  back  to  you  and  have  you 
return  the  one  we  sent  you,  |  as  it  would  not  look  very  well  for  us  to 
send  out  to  some  other  salesman  an  old  price  fist.  |  You  are  used  to 
this  one  and  it  is  probably  in  good  shape,  so  that  you  can  get  along 
all  I  right  with  it  until  we  get  out  our  new  catalogue. 

It  will  be  some  time  before  the  new  catalogue  is  |  out,  although 
the  appropriation  has  been  made  and  we  will  get  to  work  on  it  as  soon 
as  possible.     We  |  know  it  will  be  a  great  help  to  all  our  salesmen.* 

Very  truly  yours,     (294) 

1  Regret  to    resentful  and  discouraged  salesman     2  Explanation  and  appreciation     3  Ex- 
plains position  taken  in  letter     i  Positive  ending 


164  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 


SALES   LETTERS 

Sales  letters  present  the  greatest  range  of  opportunity 
afforded  by  the  field  of  business  letters.  Their  methods 
vary  widely,  but  the  basis  of  all  good  sales  letters,  even  the 
simplest,  is  a  logical  plan.  A  letter  thus  planned  leads  to 
action  more  surely  than  one  in  which  the  plan  is  less  clear. 
In  addition,  it  secures  confidence  by  winning  respect.  Ap- 
peals to  emotions  and  instincts,  carefully  selected  to  apply 
exactly  to  the  subject  and  the  reader,  "touch  the  springs 
of  action."  Vivid,  specific  language  arouses  interest  and 
helps  the  reader  to  visualize  the  action  suggested,  together 
with  the  pleasant  consequences  to  himself.  At  the  begin- 
ning, the  letter  must  establish  a  "point  of  contact"  with 
its  reader;  at  the  end,  it  must  open  the  way  to  action,  both 
by  explaining  how  to  take  the  action,  and  by  removing 
obstacles  or  objections  to  it.  Suggestion  of  action  can  be 
made  anywhere  in  the  letter;  often  very  effectively  at  the 
beginning.  The  writer  should  remember  that  his  letter 
must  attract  attention,  arouse  interest,  create  desire,  and 
lead  to  action.  He  should  ask  himself,  "What  are  the 
reasons  that  really  lead  people  to  take  the  action  I  desire.^" 
and,  "Has  my  letter  given  those  reasons?"  Enthusiasm 
and  imagination  shown  in  the  letter  arouse  similar  feehng 
in  the  reader. 

LETTERS  TO  CONSUMERS 

The  writer  of  sales  letters  addressed  to  consumers  should 
show  a  thorough  knowledge  of  his  subject  from  the  point 
of  view  of  his  readers.  He  should  use  specific  language 
that  displays  close  analysis  of  his  goods,  not  general  claims 
of  excellence,   or   vague   phrases   that   might   equally   well 


LETTERS  TO   CONSUMERS  165 

describe  any  merchandise  on  the  mcirket.  He  must  make 
his  readers  feel  that  he  has  carefully  studied  the  benefit 
and  pleasm'e  they  will  derive  from  ownership  and  use.  He 
must  remember  that  while  he  knows  much  about  the  sub- 
ject, they  know  little,  and  his  information  must  be  vital, 
simple,  and  explicit.  If  much  information  is  necessary,  it 
should  be  put  in  a  booklet  or  left  to  the  salesman  or  dealer; 
the  task  of  the  letter  is  to  persuade  to  some  action. 

1 

Mr.  H.  A.  ^en, 

54  Kimbark  Avenue, 

Milwaukee,  Wisconsin. 
Dear  Mr.  Allen: 

In  accordance  with  our  conversation  of  this  morning/  we  have 
sent  you  samples  of  wallboard  and  literature  |  in  reference  to  each.* 
We  quote  you  as  follows: 

BEAVER   BOARD  $30.00     Per  thousand  feet. 

UPSON    BOARD  $28.00 

NEPONSET   BOARD       $25.00        "  "  "  3 

As  we  told  you,  we  have  just  ordered  |  the  car  of  Beaver  Board 
and  could  not  deUver  orders  of  this  until  the  shipment  arrives.  The 
other  two  boards  |  we  can  deliver  at  once.* 

You  will  understand  by  the  descriptive  hterature  how  the  wall- 
board  is  put  up.  It  is  I  always  necessary  to  strip  the  joints  with  a  sort 
of  panel  strip,  two  to  two  and  one-half  inches  wide.  We  can  furnish 
these  with  the  Neponset  Board  of  the  same  material,  but  with  the  other 
boards  wood  strips  are  |  usually  used  to  match  the  trim  of  the  room. 
The  wood  strips  give  the  better  effect  and  make  a  neater  |  appear- 
ing job.^ 

Upson,  or  Beaver  Board,  ought  to  be  painted  with  two  coats 
of  flat  paint.  Patton's  Velumina  is  a  |  very  suitable  paint  for  this 
purpose.^ 

We  shall  be  very  much  pleased  to  answer  any  furlher  inquiries 
relative  to  this  |  material,  and,  of  course,  most  pleased  to  secure  your 
order.  ^ 

Very  truly  yours,     ('^13) 

1  Refers  to  interview  2  Samples  sent  3  Quotation  of  prices  4  Delivery  5  Shows  how 
to  use     6  Further  directions     7  Asks  action 


166  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

2 

Mr.  Oscar  Gronner, 

200  Maryland  Avenue, 

Newark,  New  Jersey. 
Dear  Mr.  Gronner: 

We  have  your  inquiry  of  September  30,  and  take  pleasure  in 
furnishing  you  with  information  concerning  our  |  "Desk  with 
Brains"  line.^ 

As  we  have  furnished  quite  a  number  of  our  sectional  desks 
through  our  Newark  representatives  for  |  use  in  the  Academy,  you 
have  in  all  probabihty  noticed  some  of  these  desks  in  certain  of  the 
departments.^ 

If  I  so,  you  know  just  about  what  "The  Desk  with  Brains"  will 
accomplish. 

Under  separate  cover  we  are  mailing  you  a  |  copy  of  our  minia- 
ture catalogue,  together  with  a  chart.  All  sectional  liling  equipment 
that  can  be  embodied  in  "The  Desk  |  with  Brains"  is  illustrated  on 
the  chart.^ 

You  will  notice  that  this  filing  equipment  comprises  various 
sizes  and  combinations.  Aiijong  |  this  selection  you  will  find  fifing 
equipment  that  is  admirably  smted  to  care  for  the  particular  class  of 
records  that  |  you  are  using.^ 

Now  to  build  up  a  combination  of  "The  Desk  with  Brains"  to 
meet  your  incfividual  requirements,  you  |  have  but  to  select  the  parts, 
or  rather  the  fifing  equipment  that  best  answers  your  needs. 

By  combining  this  with  j  a  top  and  suitable  bases  you  will  have 
a  complete  outfit,  offering  all  the  desirable  features  of  the  ordinary 
style  I  of  desk  —  an  outfit  offering  a  definite  place  for  all  of  the  records 
in  which  you  are  interested,  and-  with  |  which  you  are  anxious  to  keep 
in  touch. 

Owing  to  the  convenient  position  of  your  fifing  equipment  in  the 
pedestals  |  of  your  desk,  every  one  of  your  records  wiU  be  within  easy 
reach  where  you  can  consult  them  freely  without  |  being  obliged  to 
get  up  from  your  desk.^ 

If  you  find  that  you  need  our  assistance  in  selecting  the  parts  | 
that  are  most  suitable  for  your  desk,  feel  free  to  caU  on  us.^ 

We  shall  be  pleased  to  assist  you  |  in  any  way  you  suggest. 

Yours  very  truly,     (308) 

1  Answers  inquiry  2  Refers  to  reader's  knowledge  of  article  3  Booklet  sent  4  Shows 
how  to  read  booklet  5  Shows  how  to  secure  desired  results  6  Offers  further  aid;  assumes 
favorable  action 


LETTERS  TO   CONSUMERS  167 

3 
Mrs.  H.  A.  WeUs, 

Nashville,  Tennessee. 
Madam : 

We  are  very  glad  to  comply  with  your  request  and  are  inclosing 
a  copy  of  our  booklet,  "Doing  J  the  World's  Work."  ^ 

It  will  show  you  the  many  ways  in  which  a  small  Robbins  & 
Myers  Motor  will  save  |  you  time  and  labor  at  a  cost  of  but  a  few 
cents  a  week.^ 

Before  you  get  an  electric  motor  |  it  is  very  essential  that  you 
know  exactly  which  type  and  size  you  should  use  for  your  particular 
services.  To  |  enable  you  to  medte  absolutely  sure  that  you  are  get- 
ting exactly  the  right  motor  we  have  prepared  a  blank  form  |  on  page 
15  of  the  book.  If  you  will  fill  this  blank  in  and  return  it  to  us  we 
shall  I  be  glad  to  send  you  a  catalogue  and  complete  information  on 
a  motor  to  meet  your  requirements.^ 

You  will  probably  |  be  surprised  to  learn  how  Uttle  one  of  these 
labor  savers  will  cost  you:    Robbins  &   Myers  Electric  Motors  are  | 
much  less  expensive  than  most  people  think.^ 

Just  fill  in  the  blank  and  return  it  to  us,  and  we  wiU  |  tell  you 
exactly  what  a  motor  for  your  particular  service  will  cost.  This  will 
not  obUgate  you  in  the  least.^  | 

Yours  truly,     C202) 

1  Reply  to  inquiry    2  Time  and  labor  saving,  low  operation  cost    3  Asks  further  informa- 
tion   4  Low  initial  cost    5  Asks  action,  shows  result,  removes  objection 

4 
Mt.  D.  W.  Smith, 

Madison,  Wisconsin. 
Dear  Sir: 

As  requested,  we  are  inclosing  the  booklet  ^  which  describes  our 
CORONA  Typewriter;  also  a  leaflet  illustrating  the  difl'erent  |  type 
faces  with  which  this  machine  can  be  equipped.  Choice  of  t^fP^  is 
optional  with  you,  but  for  general  purposes  |  we  recommend  Pica.- 

For  over  a  year  the  Western  Electric  Company  tried  out  one  of 
our  stock  machines  in  their  |  experimental  department,  at  the  end 
of  which  time  they  contracted  with  us  to  furnish  all  their  portable 
typewriters. 

Upon  the  |  estabhshment  of  the  General  Supplies  Committee 
(for  the  purchasing  of  all  suppHes  used  by  the  U.  S.  Govt.),  the  CO- 


168  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

RONA  I  was  the  first  writing  machine  contracted  for  and  80  CORONAS 
have  been  purchased  for  the  Pension  Service  alone.^ 

We  mention  |  these  two  instances  simply  to  show  you  that  the 
CORONA  is  a  thoroughly  practical  writing  machine.     It  has  all  the  | 
features  of  the  best  office  machines,  yet  it  is  the  hghtest  and  most 
compact  standard  typewriter  on  the  market.^ 

As  I  it  happens,  you  are  located  in  the  territory  of  one  of  our 
agents  and  since  we  feel  that  you  can  |  obtain  quicker  ser\dce  from 
this  agent,  we  have  taken  the  Hberty  of  referring  your  inquiry  to  the 
Milwaukee  Typewriter  &  |  Inspection  Company,  Broadway  &  Mason 
Streets,  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin,  from  whom  you  will  receive  immediate 
attention.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (218) 

1  Inclosure       2  Skillfully  suggests  order       3  Testimonials      4  Summarizes  selling  points 
5  Refers  to  agent 

5 

Mr.  I.  J.  Shumway, 

Madison,  Wisconsin. 
Dear  Sir: 

In  compliance  with  your  request,  we  are  forwarding  our  book- 
let "Table  Glass,"  and  we  trust  you  will  find  |  therein  a  few  helpful 
suggestions.^  Should  you  be  interested  in  purchasing  Heisey's  Glass- 
ware, we  take  pleasure  in  referring  you  to  | 

J.  F.  Schadauer  &  Company  of  your  city 
through  whom  we  feel  sure  you  will  have  no  difficulty  in  procuring  | 
our  goods.2 

In  case  you  are  unable  to  obtain  what  you  desire  from  them  in 
Heisey's  Glassware,  let  us  know.  |  We  shall  be  most  happy  to  ship 
.direct  from  the  factory,  as  we  spare  no  efforts  in  supplying  our 
friends.^  | 

Yours  very  truly,      (103) 

1  Answers  inquiry    2  Refers  to  dealer    3  Offers  further  service 

6 

Mr.  Walter  Grobben, 

334  Wisconsin  Street, 

Somer\dlle,  Massachusetts. 
Dear  Sir: 

Your  recent  request  for  our  "Modern  Plumbing"  booklet  indi- 
cated that  you  were  considering  the  purchase  of  plumbing  equipment.^  | 


LETTERS  TO   CONSUMERS  169 

Did  you  find  fixtures  in  "Modern  Plumbing"  suitable  to  your 
requirements?  ^ 

Perhaps  you  would  fike  us  to  suggest  fixtures  best  |  suited  to 
your  purpose  —  to  tell  you  why  certain  designs  and  materials  are 
more  desirable  than  others  in  some  places,  |  or  other  details  that 
may  not  be  clear  to  you.^ 

Any  information  you  may  care  to  gi\  e  us  concerning  your  |  pres- 
ent plans  will  be  much  appreciated. 

Yours  very  truly, 

P.  S.     If  you  have  already  made  your  selection,  we  suggest  j 
that  you  send  us  a  list  of  the  plate  numbers  and  the  name  and  address 
of  your  plumber  so  that  |  we  may  quote  him  our  lowest  trade  prices 
on  your  requirements.^     (131) 

1  Follow-up    2  Suggests  further  inquiry    3  Offers  aid    4  Suggests  action  in  case  of  favor- 
able decision 

7 

Mrs.  Arthur  Cobb, 

2308  Wells  Street, 

Passaic,  New  Jersey. 
Dear  Madam: 

By  parcel  post  you  will  receive  a  sample  of  Purina  Whole  \Yheat 
Flour,  sufficient  to  try  one  of  |  the  recipes  given  in  the  inclosed  folder.^ 

The  entire  family  wiU  enjoy  and  benefit  from  the  bread,  muffins, 
and  biscuits  |  made  from  Purina  W  hole  W  heat  Flour,  because  of  its 
delightful  flavor  and  healthfulness.^  And  in  addition  you  will  be  help- 
ing I  in  a  substantial  way  to  conserve  the  wheat  supply,  for  more  of 
the  wheat  is  used  than  in  milling  white  |  flour.^ 

Your  name  was  given  us  by  the  grocer  who  is  mentioned  on  the 
bottom  of  this  letter,  with  a  |  request  that  we  mail  you  a  sample.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (HO) 

1  Announces  sample,  refers  to  folder,  and  suggests  action    2  Awakens  desire    3  Appeals 
to  patriotism     4  Refers  to  dealer 

8 

Mr.  George  Cummings, 

24  Main  Street, 

Salem,  Massachusetts. 
Dear  Sir: 

The  inclosed  card  will  guide  you  to  that  individuality  of  style 
which  marks  and  explains  the  supremacy  of  I  STEIN-BLOCH  SMART 
CLOTHES.i 


170  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  accompanying  sketches  cannot 
show  the  SUPERIOR  TAILORING,  on  which  |  is  dependent  and 
from  which  comes  the  leadership  of  Stein-Bloch.- 

The  Stein-Bloch  label  is  in  every  Stein-Bloch  |  garment,  and 
stands  for  FIFTY-EIGHT   YEARS   OF    KNOWING   HOW.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (73) 

1  Directs  customer  to  dealer  and   shows  result,  individuality     2  Refers  to  inclosure  and 
shows  cause,  superior  tailoring     3  Reliability;   removes  objections 

9 

Mr.  Max  Wellington, 

Cohoes,  New  Y  ork. 
Dear  Sir: 

You  are  getting  this  copy  of  the  Style  Book  because  we  believe 
you  want  to  know  the  things  |  about  clothes  that  it  shows  and  tells. ^ 

You  may  get  some  pleasure  out  of  looking  at  it;  it's  rather 
pleasant  |  to  look  at.  But  the  real  value  of  the  book  to  you,  is  in 
the  clothes  it  teUs  about;    they  I  are  worth  looking  at,  too.^ 

We  hope  you  will  go  that  far  at  least;  the  advantage  is  yours  as 
much  I  as  anybody's;    they  are  that  kind  of  clothes.^ 

Go  and  see  Johnson  Brothers,  Cohoes;  it's  a  store  where  you 
will  I  find  good  service  and  good  merchandise;  we  are  glad  to  recom- 
mend it.^ 

Ask  for  our  goods;  show  the  salesman  what  |  you  want  in  the 
Style  Book  illustrations;    try  the  clothes  on.^ 

Yours  truly,      (133) 

1  Awakens  interest  in  booklet     2  Awakens  interest  in   merchandise     3  Suggests  an  easy 
action     4  Refers  to  dealer     5  Suggests  action 

10 

Mt.  E.  B.  Cook, 

123  South  Hancock  Street, 
Chicago,  lUinois. 
Dear  Sir: 

Do  you  remember  when  you  were  preparing  for  your  vacation 
last  year?     Sure  you  do.^ 

You  also  remember  |  the  plans  you  made  for  fishing  and  boating. 
But  perhaps  you  have  forgotten  the  results. 

Did  you  come  back  with  |  blisters  on  your  hands  from  rowing,^^ 


LETTERS  TO   CONSUMERS  171 

Did  you  paddle  out  and  around  the  lake  in  the  hot  sun  only  to  |  be- 
come more  and  more  fatigued?  ^ 

Why  not  profit  from  that  this  year?  Take  an  Evinrude  with 
you  to  the  lakes  |  and  make  your  trips  a  total  success,  full  of  pleas- 
ure and  comfort.  Let  each  day's  close  bring  you  home  cool  |  and 
refreshed  with  pleasant  memories  of  the  day's  trip.^ 

The  2  H.  P.  Evinrude  weighs  only  seventy  pounds.     Two  or  | 
three  vacations  will  bring  you  its  full  value  in  added  rest  and  the 
motor  will  last  many  years.* 

You  will  I  want  an  Evinrude  this  summer. 

There  is  an  order  blank  in  the  catalogue  we  are  sending  you. 
Return  it  at  |  once  so  that  you  will  have  your  E\inrude  next  week.^ 

Yours  very  truly,      (173) 

1  Makes  contact  with  reader's  experience     2  Predicament     3  Remedy    4  Additional  argu- 
ments    5  Suggests  prompt  action  and  shows  resuh 

11 

Mr.  J.  C.  Raleigh, 

314  Granger  Street, 

Hartford,  Connecticut. 
Dear  Sir: 

The  Evinrude  Motor  can  be  run  very  well  in  ten  to  twelve  inches 
of  water,  although,  of  |  course,  if  the  water  is  deeper,  it  is  much  better. 
The  lower  construction  is  built  thoroughly  enough  so  that  if  ]  the 
obstruction  consists  only  of  weeds  or  the  like  the  Motor  will  pass 
through  them  without  any  difficulty,  but  if  |  it  should  be  that  a  sand 
bar  is  to  be  passed  over  or  the  bar  comes  very  close  to  the  |  bottom 
of  the  boat,  we  have  devised  a  built-up  attachment  which  permits 
the  entire  Motor  to  be  tilted  so  |  that  propeller  is  clear  of  the  water. ^ 

When  such  an  obstruction  is  to  be  passed  all  that  is  necessary 
is  to  push  I  down  on  the  steering  handle  and  the  ]\Iotor  is  raised  clear 
of  the  water  until  the  obstruction  is  passed  and  |  then  the  propeller 
is  lowered  once  more.^ 

We  have  a  special  attachment  by  means  of  which  the  regular 
rowboat  |  INIotor  can  be  installed  in  a  canoe.  This  arrangement  is 
considered  an  accessory  and  sells  for  $12.50.  |  With  an  arrangement 
like  this,  however,  you  have  a  Motor  that  is  universal  in  the  full  sense 
of  the  I  word.^ 

The  catalogue  we  are  sending  you  shows  the  Motor  installed 
on  the  rowboat  and  in  a  canoe.     Either  one  |  makes  a  satisfactory 


172  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

arrangement,  as  the  Motor  will  carry  the  rowboat  at  the  rate  of  6  to  8 
niiles  I  per  hour,  and  the  canoe  at  from  8  to  10.  It  is  a  very  efficient 
power  plan,  consumes  but  httle  |  gasoUne  and  is  very  simple  to  operate.* 

Just  look  over  the  catalogue  and  imagine  for  yourself  what  com- 
fort and  pleasure  |  such  a  motor  will  bring  to  you  and  to  your  family. 

I  know  that  you  will  want  to  take  advantage  |  of  the  full  sum- 
mer's season.  If  you  will  just  fill  out  the  order  blank  which  is  inclosed 
in  catalogue  and  |  return  it  to  us,  we  shall  be  very  glad  to  wait  on 
you.  I  am  going  to  watch  the  mail  |  the  next  few  days  for  a  letter 
from  you. 

Yours  very  truly,      (352) 

1  Answers  inquiry  2  Shows  operation  3  Answers  second  question  4  Removes  objec- 
tions by  allowing  choice 


12 

Mr.  Clarence  Barlow, 

1139  Newberry  Street, 

Geneva,  New  York. 
Dear  Sir: 

You  are  denying  yourself  a  necessary  comfort  and  pleasure.^ 

Since  you  received  our  catalogue,  has  any  particular  question  | 
come  to  your  mind  that  we  might  answer.^  ^  w  ^  ^re  unable  to  dis- 
cover why  you  did  not  write  to  us.  |  If  there  was  any  question  in  your 
mind  as  to  the  power  of  the  motor,  we  will  say  that  it  |  has  success- 
fully hauled  pretty  heavy  loads,  pushing  the  |  average  sixteen-foot 
boat  with  seven  and  eight  people  in  it  without  any  difficulty.  If  it's 
compactness  you  desire,  the  |  motor  weighs  only  seventy  pounds  and 
occupies  very  little  room.  It  can  be  strapped  on  the  running  board  of 
an  I  automobile. 

Should  you  desire  the  Evinrude  motor  of  the  2  H.  P.  type,  it 
wiU  propel  the  average  sixteen-foot  |  boat,  loaded,  at  a  speed  of  from 
five  to  thirty  miles  per  hour,  and  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  miles  | 
on  a  gallon  of  gasoline. 

If  there  is  some  particular  phase  of  its  operation  that  you  are 
interested  in,  which  |  has  not  been  definitely  explained,  it  would  cer- 
tainly be  a  pleasure  to  hear  from  you,  and  in  that  way  we  |  could  give 
you  the  information  particularly  suitable  to  your  requirements. 

If  it  is  for  pleasure  you  are  contemplating  this  purchase,  |  Mr. 
Barlow,  we  cannot  urge  you  to  buy  too  soon,  for  the  pleasure  of  own- 


LETTERS  TO   CONSUMERS  173 

ing  an  Evinrude  lies  not  only  |  in  possessing  it,  but  in  operating  it  as 
much  of  the  time  as  possible. 

If  it  is  for  commercial  purposes  |  you  require  the  Evinrude,  the 
same  argument  holds  good.^ 

Your  motor  will  be  forwarded  to  you  as  soon  as  you  |  specify 

how.    Write  us  to-dav.  ,^  ,     , 

Yours  very  truly,     (268) 

1  Suggests  prompt  action  2  Follow-up  3  Outlines  talking  points  in  order  to  remove 
objections 

13 

Mr.  Earl  Klinker, 

180  Hackett  Avenue, 

Erie,  Pennsylvania. 
Dear  Sir: 

When  I  arrived  at  the  office  this  morning,^  and  found  a  copy  of 
my  letter  of  April  29  |  on  my  desk,  I  knew  that  you  did  not  purchase 
an  Evinrude,  and  that  last  Sunday  while  ninety  thousand  |  and  more 
were  traveling  various  waterways,  in  this  and  other  countries  by  means 
of  an  Evinrude,  you  were  deprived  |  of  this  pleasure.^  Had  you  been 
with  us  Sunday  when  six  persons  took  a  most  dehghtful  excursion  up 
the  river  |  by  means  of  an  E\dnrude,  I  am  siu-e  you  would  have  de- 
cided to  purchase  one  at  the  close  of  the  j  trip,  if  not  before.^ 

We  started  out  late  in  the  morning  and  had  an  all  day  trip  and 
picnic  and  |  all  that  it  cost  in  the  way  of  Evinruding  was  two  gallons 
of  gasoline  and  a  pint  of  oil.  W^e  made  |  about  forty  miles  altogether 
and  when  we  got  through,  there  was  still  gasoline  in  the  tank.'* 

Send  in  your  order  |  to-day,  won't  you.^  Then  you  too  will 
know  the  pleasure  of  Evinruding.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (175) 

1  Specific  language  arouses  interest  2  Shows  universal  satisfaction  with  article  3  Specific 
instance     4  Low  cost     5  Asks  action  and  shows  result 

14 

Mr.  B.  D.  Robertson, 

415  Greenbush  Street, 

Johnstown,  Pennsylvania. 
Dear  Sir: 

The  nice  weather  for  which  we  were  so  long  looking  has  finally 
reached  us,  and  I  am  sure  |  that  you  would  enjoy  a  nice  E\dnrude  trip 
next  Sunday  up  the  river,  or  at  one  of  the  lakes. ^ 

I  I  tell  you,  the  sunshine,  such  as  we  have  been  ha%dng,  makes 


174  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

you  long  for  the  great  out-of-doors,  and  |  what  is  a  better  companion 
than  the  Evinrude?  It  cannot  be  the  efficiency  that  is  holding  you 
back,  nor  can  |  it  be  the  speed,  for  the  Evinrude  will  develop  a  speed 
of  eight  niiles  an  hour,  nor  can  it  be  |  the  price,  for  when  you  stop  to 
consider  the  price  of  an  Evinrude,  its  annual  cost  is  very  small  indeed.-  | 

We  want  you  to  have  an  Evinrude  now,  so  that  you  may  enjoy 
the  full  summer's  benefit.  Surely  you  will  j  be  able  to  use  the  Evin- 
rude any  time  that  you  purchase  it,  but  wouldn't  it  be  better  to  buy 
it  I  now  and  in  that  way  receive  its  full  benefit .^^  ^ 

For  fishing  and  hunting  trips,  this  motor  has  proved  most  de- 
sirable. I  Being  simple  in  construction,  there  is  no  difficulty  experienced 
in  its  operation. 

The  advantages  and  uses  of  the  detachable  motors  |  are  im- 
limited.  Hunting  trips,  fishing  trips,  or  just  a  cruise  around  the  lake, 
are  all  made  with  much  more  pleasure  |  and  less  exertion  by  having 
the  Evinrude  always  present.* 

Just  now,  we  wish  to  urge  upon  you  to  make  your  |  reservation 
by  placing  your  order,  so  that  the  motor  wiU  be  on  your  boat  the  first 
day  you  want  to  |  make  a  trip.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (226) 

1  Timely  argument  2  Follow-up;  appeals  to  desire,  and  removes  objections  3  Urges 
prompt  action     4  Repeats  sales  arguments 


15 

Mr.  Russell  Roxley, 

654  Aldrich  Street, 

Covington,  Kentucky. 
Dear  Sir: 

In  advance  of  this  letter  we  sent  you  one  of  our  Two  G's 
Booklets.^ 

Two  G's  stands  for  |  Glass  Gardens. 

The  booklet  itself  is  a  sort  of  peep  into  their  defights. 

If  you  are  a  gardening  enthusiast,  a  |  greenhouse  wiU  extend 
your  pleasures  right  through  every  winter.- 

It  gives  you  a  perpetual  summerland. 

Wouldn't  you  fike  to  |  have  some  home-grown  strawberries  in 
January,  and  violets  or  roses  straight  from  your  own  greenhouse 
garden  any  time  you  |  want  them.^  ^ 

If  you  don't  find  in  the  Two  G's  Booklet  just  the  house  you 


LETTERS  TO   CONSUMERS  175 

want,  we  have  a  large  |  hundred-page  catalogue  showing  some  fifty 
or  more  different  subjects.^ 

It  has  twelve  pages  alone  devoted  to  growing  fruit  under  |  glass. 

Glad  to  have  you  send  for  it.^ 

Yours  truly,    (130 

1  Booklet    2  Genertal  argument     3  Specific  illustration     4  Offers  further  aid     5  Suggests 
action 

16 

Mr.  Harry  Livingston, 

422  Central  Avenue, 

Camden,  New  Jersey. 
Dear  Sir: 

Has  it  ever  occiu'red  to  you  what  an  economical  arrangement 
it  would  be  to  attach  direct  to  your  |  garage  that  greenhouse  you 
have  so  long  wanted  .•^  ^ 

Such  an  arrangement  would  be  decidedly  compact. 

Part,  or  perhaps  all,  of  j  the  expense  of  building  a  speciaJ  work- 
room could  be  overcome. 

One  boiler  would   heat  both  garage  and   greenhouse,   with  a  | 
saving  for  both.^ 

The  inclosed  circular  shows  two  subjects  so  linked  up.^ 

Why  not  send  for  one  of  us  to  |  come  and  look  the  situation 
over  with  you,  and  see  what  can  be  done,  and  what  the  probable  cost 
will  I  be  for  doing  it?  ^ 

Yours  truly,    (106) 

1  Suggests  easy  action     2  Proves  low  expense     3  Inclosure     4  Asks  action 

17 

]\Ir.  Walter  Maynard, 

893  Monroe  Street, 

Meriden,  Connecticut. 
Dear  Sir: 

Next  best  to  possessing  a  greenhouse  is  having  some  cold  frames.^ 

They  will  make  it  possible  for  you  |  to  have  a  goodly  supply  of 
flowers  and  vegetables  all  winter,  besides  boosting  your  garden  along 
at  a  lively  pace  |  this  spring. 

The  smaller  frames  can  be  easily  toted  about  yoiu-  garden  or 
grounds,  wherever  yon  want  them.^ 

They  are  |  very  inexpensive. 

Sixteen  of  the  smaller  size,  for  example,  cost  as  little  as  $13.00.' 

Anticipating  your  probably  wanting  to  |  know  all  about  Frames, 


176  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

their  possibilities  and  cost,   we  mailed  you,   yesterday  morning,   an 
interesting  booklet,  called  Two  P's.^ 

It  ]  tells  of  the  Pleasure  and  Profit  of  Cold  Frames. 

If  it  has  failed  to  reach  you,  drop  a  postal  to  |  this  office,  and 
we  will  gladly  send  along  another  copy. 

Yours  very  truly,     (133) 

1  Follow-up;     offers   lower   priced   article     2  Shows   advantages     3  Low   price     4  Booklet 

18 

Mr.  R.  C.  Avery, 

879  Emerson  Street, 
Findlay,  Ohio. 
Dear  Sir: 

The  main  requirements  in  buying  a  new  automobile  top  are 
these: 

1.  It  must  wear  a  long  time.  | 

2.  It  must  fold  readily  and  without  injury. 

3.  It  must  be  sun  proof  as  well  as  moisture  proof. 

4.  I  It  must  be  made  right. 

5.  It  must  look  the  part  of  a  good  top. 

6.  The  price  must  be  |  right.^ 

Our  written  guarantee  makes  numbers  one,  two,  and  three  cer- 
tain for  you.     Please  read  the  inclosed  wording  of  our  |  guarantee.^ 

You  probably  know  one  or  more  of  the  men  whose  names  are 
on  the  inclosed  printed  hst  of  men  |  who  purchased  a  new  top  from 
us  longer  than  a  year  ago  in  each  case.  Ask  any  one  of  them  |  about 
the  workmanship  that  went  into  his  new  top.^ 

We  now  have  a  new  and  even  better  material  at  only  |  a  shght 
increase  in  cost.  A  sample  is  inclosed.  Fold  it,  try  to  tear  it,  put  it 
in  water.  Give  |  it  the  acid  test  if  you  care  to.  The  leaflet  inclosed 
tells  all  about  it.^ 

A   combination   of  such   good  |  material   and   such  good   work- 
manship gives  you  a  top  that  looks  as  well  and  acts  the  part  of  a  good  | 
top  —  as  good  as  you  could  get.^ 

And  the  price  is  now  $ for  your  Buick  Six.  |     But  we  can 

guarantee  this  special  price  only  for  two  weeks  from  this  date.     Take 
enough  time  to  compare  —  then  |  come  in.^ 

Yours  truly,     (244) 

1  Outlines  ideal  requirements     2  This  article  fulfills  them     3  Testimonial     4  Urges  test  of 
sample;    suggests  an  immediate  action     5  Summary     6  Low  price;    urges  action 


LETTERS  TO   CONSUMERS  177 

19 

Mr.  John  Groop, 

309  Loomis  Street, 

Newton,  Massachusetts. 
Dear  Sir: 

Thousands  of  dollars  are  lost  every  year  by  milk  dealers  and 
farmers  through  sour  milk.^ 

The  loss  of  I  spoiled  milk  does  not  represent  the  greatest  drawback 
to  poor  cooling  —  spoiled  milk  results  in  a  permanent  loss  through 
loss  I  of  patronage.2 

Milk  does  not  necessarily  need  to  be  sour  to  be  spoiled,  but  it 
can  very  easily  be  spoiled  |  by  setting  in  cans  which  do  not  allow  the 
stable  odors  to  escape.^ 

Are  you  going  to  be  one  |  of  the  many  who  contribute  annually 
to  make  up  this  great  loss  —  or  are  you  going  to  be  prepared  for  the  | 
first  warm  weather?  ^ 

The  best  insurance  you  can  have  against  sour  milk  is  a  Chilly 
King  Cooler.^ 

You  are  not  |  taking  any  chances  when  you  order  a  Chilly  King. 
An  order  is  merely  an  opportunity  for  the  Chilly  King  to  |  sell  itself 
to  you.  There  is  no  sale  —  no  obligation  to  pay  for  it  until  you  have 
used  it  in  |  your  dairy  and  are  satisfied  it  is  the  cooler  for  you.^ 

Why  not  act  right  now  while  you  are  thinking  |  about  it?  To 
make  it  easy  for  you  we  inclose  order  blank.  Just  fill  in  the  size  cooler 
you  want  |  —  sign  and  mail  this  to  us  and  we'll  ship  the  cooler.^ 

Yours  truly,     (123) 

1  Predicament:   loss  of  money   2  Loss  of  patronage    3  Cause    4  Suggests  action     5  Rem- 
edy    6  Removes  objections     7  Makes  action  easy 

20 

Mr.  E.  B.  Erickson, 

402  Jefferson  Street, 

Syracuse,  New  York. 
Dear  Sir: 

If  a  man  absolutely  knew,  without  depending  on  any  salesman's 
bluster  — 

Or  pinning  his  faith  to  any  sugar-coated  |  advertising  talk  — 

THAT  HE  COULD  POSITIVELY  GET  A  BIGGER  "SKIM- 
MING" OF  CREAM  FROM  EVERY  MILKING  OF  HIS  HERD 
THAN  I  HE   EVER   GOT   BEFORE  — 

WITH   AN   ACTUAL   BIG,  BONA   FIDE   SAVING   IN    TIME 


178  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

AND   LABOR   AT   EVERY    SKIMMING    AND    EVERY  |  "WASH- 
ING  UP"    OF   HIS   SEPARATOR  — 

And  a  bigger  and  steadier  income  from  every  "milker"  —  to- 
gether with  the  biggest  market  price  j  of  butter  from  every  churning  — 

And  on  top  of  aU  this  — 

If  he  knew  he  could  increase  the  capacity  of  |  his  separator  (by 
simply  changing  the  bowl  for  a  bigger  one)  instead  of  having  to  buy 
a  new  separator  when  |  his  milk  "crop"  got  bigger  — 

And  then  —  if  he  knew  how,  with  all  these  big,  money's  worth 
advantages,  he  could  |  get  with  that  separator    a  signed  and  sealed 
certificate  of  test  showing  exactly  whai  the  machine  had  done  in  an  | 
actual  test  with  whole  milk  at  the  factory  — 

And  finally  —  if  you  were  that  man  —  and  you  knew  you  could  | 
get  that  separator  under  the  double-barreled  contract  of  an  iron-clad 
guaranty  and  a  FIFTEEN  DAYS'  FREE  TRYOUT  IN  |  YOUR 
OWN  DAIRY  BEFORE  PAYING  A  CENT  —  wouldn't  you  con- 
sider it  well  worth  your  while  at  least  to  investigate  that  |  particular 
proposition?  ^ 

Just  thumb  through  the  Sanitary  Milwaukee  Cream  Separator 
Catalogue  that  we  are  sending  you.-  It  gives  you  the  j  "how's"  and 
"why's"  of  every  one  of  these  never-before  achieved  results  —  ex- 
plains to  you  in  detail  the  brand  new  |  principles  of  construction  and 
operation  that  makes  the  "Sanitary  Milwaukee"  a  twentieth  century 
triumph  in  the  art  of  cream  separation.  | 

To  show  you  that  we  do  not  ask  you  to  take  our  mere  "say-so" 
—  we  have  arranged  with  our  |  dealer  in  your  neighborhood  to  give 
you  a  free  demonstration.  Drop  in  on  him  some  time  —  it  won't 
cost  you  I  a  cent  —  it  won't  obUgate  you  a  particle  —  and  it  will  be 
worth  money  to  you  just  as  sure  as  |  you  are  a  foot  high.^ 

Yours  most  earnestly, 


P.  S.  It  is  the  simplest  thing  in  the  world  for  you  j  to  prove  or 
disprove  anything  we  have  said  in  this  letter.  All  you  have  got  to  do 
is  to  drop  I  in  on  Thompson  &  Bro.  and  see  the  Sanitary  Milwaukee 
in  action.  Its  downright  unquestionable  points  of  superiority  will 
be  I  apparent  to  you  almost  at  a  glance.  W'hat  is  more,  this  dealer 
who  represents  us  down  your  way  —  who  is  |  practically  your  next- 
door  neighbor  —  whose  honesty  and  business  standing  you  can  easily 
look  up  —  who  knows  us  and  knows  |  our  methods,  "like  a  book"  — 


LETTERS  TO   CONSUMERS  179 

can  set  you  right  on   that  iron-clad   guarantee  of  ours  —  and    that 
Certificate  of  |  Test  and  15-Day  Free  Trial  Offer.     Just  ask  him  and 

see.     (-171) 

1  Outlines    ideal    requirements     2  Suggests  use    of    catalogue     3  Removes    objections    and 
makes  action  easy 

21 

Mr.  W.  V.  Ramsburg, 

R.  F.  D.  #2, 

Johnson's  Creek,  Indieina. 
Dear  Sir: 

You  are  surely  planning  to  come  to  Millersville  for  the  County 
Fair  in  September.^  It  is  going  to  |  be  a  great  show;  there  has  never 
been  one  anywhere  around  that  promised  so  well.  You  are  within 
easy  reach;  |  and  we  are  going  to  make  all  our  out-of-town  visitors 
especially  welcome.     You  can  count  on  that.^ 

There  |  will  be  lots  going  on  here  besides  the  Fair;  of  course, 
all  the  folks  in  Millersville  are  exerting  themselves  to  |  make  it  agree- 
able and  interesting  for  our  guests.^ 

We  are  "doing  our  bit."    We  have  on  hand  our  complete  fall  | 
display  of  clothes,  hats,  and  furnishings.     This  will  give  you  a  chance 
to  get  "posted";  also  to  see  whatiyou  |  want  to  buy  for  fall  and  winter.^ 

Hart,  Schaffner  &  Marx  are  sending  us  an  exceptionally  strong 
showing  of  their  |  famous  suits  and  overcoats.  You  will  surely  want 
to  see  them.^ 

Memorize  the  dates;    September   10-12.^ 

Yours  truly,  |  (160) 

1  Assumes    action     2  Promises    welcome     3  Suggests    visit    to    store     4  Specific    ofiFering 
5  Asks  for  an  immediate  action 

22 

Mr.  J.  P.  Rains, 

Evanston  Ruilding, 

Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania. 
Dear  Sir: 

Our  plan  for  showing  our  appreciation  of  an  order  is  not  merely 
to  thank  our  customer,  but  to  |  try  to  fill  the  order  better  than  was 
expected.^ 

We  are  always  careful  to  check  over  and  inspect  every  order  | 
before  shipping,  but  regardless  of  ±he  fact  that  we  are  operating  the 


180  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

best  inspection  system  we  can  invent,  errors  will  |  occur  in  a  busi- 
ness which  handles  hundreds  of  orders  daily,  as  we  do.- 

We  therefore  suggest  that  you  examine  your  |  flowers  as  soon 
as  received,  and  make  sure  they  are  satisfactory.  If  not,  notify  us 
at  once,  as  we  desire  |  every  recipient  of  Penn's  flowers  to  be  a  little 
more  than  satisfied.^ 

It  is  this  desire  that  has  built  our  |  business.*     (121 ; 

1  Shows  appreciation     2  Service     3  Offers  adjustment     4  Slogan 

23 

Air.  F.  C.  Augustine, 

Fairchild  Block, 

Los  Angeles,  California. 
Dear  Sir: 

A  young  man's  outing  suit  special  at  $25.00  —  and  what  a  suit  of 
clothes.^ 

Tailored  correctly  i  to  your  measure  out  of  imported  fabrics  in 
the  latest  and  best  shades  —  a  hundred  more  different  pieces  from 
which  to  I  choose  this  week  —  like  the  samples  inclosed.^ 

The  young  man  who  has  his  outing  suit  correctly  tailored  is  out- 
witting I  his  friends  who  think  they  need  not  be  particular  concerning 
the  cut  and  fit  and  workmanship  in  their  outing  suit  |  —  forgetting  that 
the  summer  outing  suit  is  also  a  business  suit  and  that  it  must  fre- 
quently serve  for  dancing  |  and  other  hot-weather  events.^ 

The  outing  suit  is  worn  as  much  as  any  other  suit  in  a  wardrobe, 
and  I  the  best  outing  suit  obtainable  is  none  too  good.  //  {/  looks  right, 
it  may  be  used  more  than  any  |  other  apparel  during  the  three  hot 
months  that  a  e  sure  to  come.* 

If  you  will  come  in  before  June  first,  j  we  offer  you  a  pair  of 
tailored  trousers  in  white  flannel  at  $5.00  with  your  order  for  an  out- 
ing I  suit.  These  trousers  are  regularly  priced  at  $10.00.  But  by  coming 
early  you  will  help  us  avoid  some  of  |  the  rush  we  always  experi- 
ence at  the  beginning  of  really  hot  weather.^ 

You  may  have  an  extra  pair  of  trousers  |  from  the  outing  suit 
material,  if  you  prefer,  at  the  same  price. 

Because  this  is  a  special  offer  to  a  |  selected  Ust  of  young  men, 
will  you  please  bring  with  you  the  card  inclosed.^ 

Yours  truly,     (256) 

1  Summarizes    letter    2  Tailoring    and    fabrics    3  Removes    objection     4  Enforces    argu- 
ment    5  Special  offer     6  Suggests  prompt  action 


LETTERS  TO   CONSUMERS  181 

24 

Mr.  Wm.  Stevenson, 

*318  North  Avenue, 
Bath,  Maine. 
Dear  Sir: 

You  need  Hot  AVater  practically  every  hour  of  the  day  and 
nearly  as  often  by  night,  and  the  |  lack  of  it  or  an  insufiicient  supply 
causes  inconvenience.^ 

Banish  all  Hot  Water  bother  by  installing  a  "Pittsburg"  Auto- 
matic Gas  I  Water  Heater.-  Its  cost  is  comparatively  small  when 
you  consider  the  service  it  will  render  to  every  member  of  the  |  family.* 

We  want  you  to  know  the  saving  and  service  of  this  wonderful 
self-hghting  instantaneous  water  heater.  Will  you  |  try  it  in  your 
own  home  with  our  guarantee  that  it  will  perfectly  perform  in  just 
the  way  we  promise.*^  |  Or  will  you  come  to  our  show  room  and  let  us 
give  you  a  demonstration?  ^ 

Which.^     Use  the  inclosed  card.  | 

Very  truly  yours,      (123) 

1  Predicament     2  Remedy     3  Removes  objections     4  Asks  action 


25 

Mrs.  E.  F.  Anderson, 

Cedar  Hills,  New  Hampshire. 
Dear  Madam: 

"Whe-e-w!  Shut  that  door, —  my!  but  it's  cold.  It's  hard  to 
heat  this  house  anyhow."  ^ 

Did  you  ever  ]  say  that?  Are  there  parts  of  your  house  that 
are  hard  to  heat  when  there  is  a  cold  wind  blowing  |  outside,  when 
it's  blustering  and  stormy  —  or  in  the  early  fall  days  before  it's 
really  time  to  start  the  furnace  |  and  stoves.^  ^ 

But,  oh,  what  fun  it  is  wh^n  it  is  cozy  within  and  all  the  family 
can  gather  around  |  and  enjoy  each  other's  companionship,  and  the 
companionship  of  that  best  of  friends,  a  good  book.^ 

We  don't  know  of  |  anything  that  will  add  to  your  comfort  very 
much  more  than  the  Nesco  Perfect  Oil  Heater.* 

Here's  a  picture  of  |  a  fine  little  heater,  No.  15,  for  only  §3.25. 
If  you  would  like  to  have  ]  one  with  nickel-plated  trimmings  that  is 
a  little  more  aristocratic,  ask  for  No.  1600  at  $4.50.  |  The  most  hand- 


182  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION   EXERCISES 

some  of  all  is  one  with  Blue  Enameled  Body  and  full  nickel-plated 
trimmings  at  $7.50.^  | 

Just  look  at  one,  in  your  dealer's  window  this  week.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (195) 

1  Conversation  arouses  interest     2  Predicament    3  Remedy    4  Price     5  Refers  to  dealer 

26 

Mr.  James  Abbott, 

69  Chapel  Street, 

New  Haven,  Connecticut. 
Dear  Sir: 

It  is  with  confidence  rather  than  modesty  that  we  come  to  you 
crying  our  wares  as  the  holiday  |  time  approaches,  —  a  confidence 
born  of  certainty  in  the  power  of  our  stock  to  please  you.^ 

During  the  last  few  |  months  we  have  grown  ambitious.  Our 
aim  has  been  to  gather  together  the  most  select  and  attractive  display 
of  pictures  |  and  frame  moldings  in  New  Haven,  and  we  feel  con- 
vinced of  our  success  in  both  endeavors.  We  are  in  direct  |  touch 
with  the  various  art  publishers,  and  can  furnish  any  picture  you  want 
on  short  notice.^ 

Furthermore,  we  have  equipped  |  our  workshop  with  modern 
framing  devices.^ 

Now  we  stand  eager  to  show  you  all  this,  whether  you  come  as 
a  1  purchaser  or  an  observer.  It  may  be,  indeed,  that  if  you  approv^ 
you  will  pass  the  information  forward.  But  in  |  any  case  we  shall 
be  proud  to  have  you  come  to  see  us.^ 

Respectfully  yours,     (i55) 

1  Unusual  phrases  arouse  interest     2  Announces  new  service     3  Additional  service     4  Sug- 
gests easy  action  and  removes  objections 

27 

Mrs.  Oscar  Johnson, 

Orange,  New  Jersey. 
Dear  Madam: 

We  don't  know  of  a  more  interesting  store  than  this  for  the 
Mothers  of  Boys,  and  we  want  |  you  to  know  it  better  than  you  do.^ 

While  economy  of  cost  is  a  prime  consideration  both  with  you 
and  I  with  us,^  we  do  not  permit  ourselves  to  lose  sight  of  the  attract- 
iveness of  style  and  proper  fit  ^  in  making  |  clothing  for  Children. 

We  don't  know  of  any  other  house  that  has  so  happily  struck 


LETTERS  TO   CONSUMERS  .  183 

the  exact  balance  between  what  |  a  boy  ought  to  wear  and  what  his 
clothing  ought  to  cost.^ 

It  will  be  a  great  pleasure  to  show  |  you  what  we  have  done 
for  the  little  fellows  if  you  will  giv^e  us  the  opportunity.^ 

Very  truly  yours,  (ii9) 
1  Class  appeal,  arouses  interest    2  Economy    3  Style     4  Repeats  arguments  in  different 
form    5  Asks  action 

28 

Mrs.  Grace  Vilett, 

895  Walden  Avenue, 

Schenectady,  New  York. 
Dear  INIadam: 

If  the  men  in  your  family  are  hke  many  men  we  know,  they  have 
left  the  purchasing  of  |  their  underwear,  hosiery,  handkerchiefs,  etc., 
to  you.^ 

There's  a  good  reason  why  they  should;  women  know  more 
about  the  |  quality  in  these  things  than  men  do. 

And  because  women  are  quickest  to  appreciate  value  in  these 
accessories,  we  are  |  especially  glad  to  call  your  attention  to  our 
service.'' 

We  have  the  finest  grades  and  makes  of  underwear,  hosiery, 
etc.  I  on  the  market;  not  the  most  expensive,  but  the  most  value  for 
the  mortey  you  want  to  pay.  The  |  men  in  charge  of  these  depart- 
ments are  experts  —  they  can  be  of  great  help  to  you  in  choosing.^ 

Though  we  |  sell  only  men's  wear,  we  are  especially  equipped 
to  serve  women;  you  will  hke  our  courtesy,  our  expertness  —  and  our  1 
values.^ 

We  hope  you  will  give  us  a  chance  to  serve  you. 

Yours  truly,     (154) 

1  Good-humored,   conversational  style     2  Appeals  to  pride  without  impertinent   familiar- 
ity    3  Suggests  service  and  removes  objections     4  Additional  persuasion 

29 
Mr.  Daniel  Vincent, 
R.  F.  D.  #7, 

Bowling  Green,  Kentucky. 
Dear  Sir: 

The  idea  used  to  be  that  a  farmer  hadn't  much  use  for  "dress-up" 
clothes;    work  clothes  for  |  him.^ 

But  we  sell  a  lot  of  Hart,  Schaffner  &  INIarx  clothes  here  every 


184  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

season;    and  if  we  didn't  sell  |  them  to  fanners  we  wouldn't  be  able 
to  sell  them  at  aU.^ 

The  fact  is,  these  are  the  logical  clothes  |  for  farmers;  they 
represent  better  than  any  others  the  fuU  value  of  every  dollar  they 
cost.' 

We've  got  just  what  |  you  want  for  this  fall,  in  suits  and  overcoats. 

Whenever  you  are  ready.^ 

Yours  truly,      (95) 

1  Class   appeal   attracts   attention   and   arouses   pride     2  Result   presented   first     3  Cause 
presented  second     4  Avoids  insistence 

30 

Mr.  E.  A.  Wild, 

Geneseo,  New  York. 
Dear  Sir: 

No  two  men  are  alike.^ 

You  have  individual  requirements  in  dress.  You  want  clothing 
that  will  add  to  |  your  appearance,  not  detract  from  it.  Here  is  where 
tailoring  skill  comes  in.- 

The  designing  in  our  shops  is  under  |  the  personal  direction  of 
a  member  of  the  firm,  who  devotes  all  his  time  and  energy  to  this 
work.  He  |  has  an  enviable  reputation  for  producing  clothing  of  rare 
distinction. 3 

Making  —  not  selling  —  clothing  is  our  business.  If  a  garment 
is  I  made  right  it  sells  itself.  If  we  make  you  one  suit  you  are  sure  to 
come  to  us  when  you  |  want  another.^ 

If  you  desire  to  have  the  best  there  is,  come  in  to  see  us. 

Yours  very  truly,      (119) 

1  General  statement     2  Particular  conclusion  shows  ideal  requirements     3  Shows  this  firm 
meets  the  requirements     4  Assures  of  satisfaction 


31 

Mr.  E.  W.  Griffith, 

Baltimore,  Maryland. 
Dear  Sir: 

The  inclosed  booklet  on  plate  glass  gives  you  some  information 
that  may  be  of  value  to  you  at  |  some  later  date.^  The  best  homes 
to-day  are  glazed  with  plate  glass  and  the  difference  in  the  appear- 
ance of  a  I  house  glazed  with  plate  and  ordinary  window  glass  is  sur- 


LETTERS  TO   CONSUMERS  185 

prising.2     The  difference  in  cost  is  a  small  item  when  you  |  consider 
the  difference  in  appearance.^ 

We  are  prepared  to  furnish  plate  glass  in  any  size,  shape,  or 
design  at  prices  |  that  will  interest  you.  Send  us  your  Ust  when  in 
the  market.    We  shall  be  very  glad  to  quote  you.*  | 

Yours  truly,     (102) 

1  Avoids  insistence    2  Simple  statement,  easily  believed;    appeals  to  pride     3  Removes 
objections    4  Urges  action 

32 

Mr.  A.  D.  Banks, 

415  South  Summit  Street, 

New  Britain,  Connecticut. 
Dear  Sir: 

As  one  man  to  another  —  as  a  bit  of  friendly  advice  —  I  say 
to  you,  eat  more  fish  |  and  less  meat  during  summer,  and  your  health 
and  pocketbook  will  benefit.^ 

The  simple  fact  that  I  happen  to  be  |  selling  fish  does  not  weaken 
the  force  of  my  suggestion.  Ask  any  doctor  if  what  I  have  said  is  not  | 
good  ad\-ice.  Compare  the  price  of  a  pound  of  my  choice  codfish 
steaks  with  that  of  a  pound  of  good  |  beefsteak.  There's  evidence. 
You  know  from  past  experience  that  the  kind  of  fish  that  I  wiU  send 
you  is  I  the  kind  with  the  real  sea  flavor  —  the  kind  that  tastes  good 
and  is  good  —  that  never  disappoints.' 

Wouldn't  a  |  nice  lobster  salad  just  "hit  you"  most  any  day.^ 
How  about  some  rich,  steaming  clam  chowder  made  the  way  we  | 
folks  here  on  the  seashore  make  it  at  home.^     I  tell  you,  you  don't 
know  half  you  are  missing  if  |  you  are  not  enjoying  some  good  Davis 
fish  at  least  twice  a  week.^ 

Spend  a  few  moments  looking  over  the  |  inclosed  folder.*  If 
you  are  not  hungry  for  some  good  fish  now  —  you  will  be  when  you 
have  finished  reading  |  it.  And  it  is  the  easiest  thing  in  the  world  to 
satisfy  a  sea  food  appetite.     That  is,  if  you  |  let  me  do  it. 

Show  me  on  the  inclosed  blank  how  your  taste  runs  and  I  will 
guarantee  to  please  |  you.* 

Very  truly  yours,     (244) 

1  Arouses  interest  by  assertion    2  Secures  belief  by  evidence    3  Specific  language  awakens 
desire    4  Suggests  action  and  removes  objections 


186  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION   EXERCISES 

33 

Mr.  J.  P.  Dawes, 

424  Brisbane  Avenue, 

Everett,  Massachusetts. 

SUBJECT:  — SOMETHING   FOR   NOTHING 

Dear  Sir: 

You  are  buying  some  of  our  best  products  for  your  table  now.^ 
To  make  |  you  acquainted  with  others  equally  as  good,  I  propose  to 
furnish  you  at  least  a  few  packages  free.- 

To  induce  |  you  to  try  the  goods  now,  in  hopes  that  you  will 
find  new  things  to  use  for  this  fall,  we  |  are  making  the  offer  only 
during  the  next  ten  days.  Because  we  pay  delivery  on  the  samples  too, 
we  can  |  send  free  packages  only  with  orders  above  FIVE  DOLLARS.^ 

There  are  no  other  conditions.  If  you  send  in  your  order  j  dur- 
ing the  next  ten  days  for  at  least  five  dollars,  you  wiU  be  entitled  to 
some  full  sized  packages  of  |  regular  goods  free.  If  there  is  a  special 
article  or  two  among  our  products  that  you  want  to  try,  we  |  will  put 
them  in  together  with  our  own  selection.  I  purposely  make  the  num- 
ber and  kind  of  samples  somewhat  indefinite  |  so  that  we  can  give 
personal  thought  to  each  order.  I  am  sure  we  can  both  surprise  £ind 
please  you  |  in  this  way.^ 

We've  had  to  limit  the  number  of  people  to  whom  we  could 
make  this  offer,  so  we  |  want  you  to  take  it  as  a  personal  invitation 
to  sample  our  goods  without  cost.  I  feel  quite  strongly  that  j  this 
will  be  of  mutual  benefit,  so  I  hope  you  will  decide  to  take  advantage 
of  it  at  once.^ 

Very  |  truly  yours, 

THIS   OFFER  EXPIRES   August  23.     (248) 

1  Refers  to  previous  satisfaction     2  Announces  free   trial  offer     3  Explains  offer    4  Re- 
moves objections     5  Suggests  prompt  action 

34 

Mr.  F.  Farley, 

Station  B.,  South  Superior, 
Wisconsin. 
Dear  Sir: 

Do  you  get  your  batteries  tested  before  it  is  too  late  ?  Or  do  you 
wait  until  they  have  |  become  a  kill-joy?  ^ 

In  five  minutes  and  without  charge  we  wiU  test  your  batteries, 


LETTERS  TO   CONSUMERS  187 

if  you  will  just  drive  |  to  our  factory,  corner  Third  Street  and  Grand 
Avenue.2 

You  now  have  right  at  home  a  modern  battery  plant,  prepared  | 
to  take  care  of  all  battery,  ignition,  lighting,  and  wiring  troubles  in 
your  automobile.      And  the   GOULD   BATTERY,   which  has  |  stood 
the  severe  tests  of  the  Pullman  Car  service  for  eleven  years,  is  here 
for  inspection,^ 

We  will  store  your  |  battery  for  the  winter  and  guarantee  monthly 
recharging  at  rates  adjusted  to  size  of  battery.  We  make  the  old 
battery  |  come  back  and  RETURN  IT  ALIVE  IN  THE  SPRING. 
All  customers  may  be  sure,  in  these  small  jobs,  of  the  |  same  efficient 
service  that  we  are  giving  on  our  big  contracts.^ 

Insurance  and  storage  for  the  winter  free.^ 

Our  car  j  collects  batteries  every  Thursday.^ 
Telephone  1123. 

Very  truly  yours,     (i7i) 

1  Predicament    2  Remedy    3  Announces  new  service  station     4  Explains  offer    5  Addi- 
tional offer     6  Suggests  action 


35 

Mr.  Prescott  A.  Myers, 

Lowell,  Massachusetts. 
Dear  Sir: 

Your  inquiry  has  been  very  gladly  received,  and  we  hope  that 
you  will  be  interested  in  reading  carefully  |  the  booklet  "Defeating 
Rust"  which  is  being  sent  out  under  separate  cover  to-day.^ 

In  recent  years,  steel,  in  the  form  |  of  sheet  metal,  roofing,  etc., 
has  come  into  very  bad  repute,  because  it  rusts  so  destructively. ^ 
In  fact  about  |  ten  years  ago,  complaints  became  so  numerous  that 
the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture  investigated  the  problem.^  They 
found  that  |  the  impure  and  imperfect,  un-uniform  structure  of  steel 
was  responsible  for  its  failure.  They  learned  further  that  pure  iron,  \ 
similar  to  the  genuine,  old-fashioned  iron,  would  solve  the  problem, 
if  it  could  be  produced  in  commercial  quantities,  and  |  at  a  reason- 
able cost.^ 

Acting  upon  this  suggestion,  our  Company  attempted  to  work 
out  a  process  for  producing  pure  iron,  \  and  the  result  is  ARMCO. 
It  is  the  purest  iron  manufactured  to-day,  made  with  the  strictest 
care     from    specially   selected  |  material.      In   buying   ARMCO    Iron 


188  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

you  are  always  certain  of  securing  the  same  uniform,  dense  material 
—  the  highest  purity  and  |  best  quahty.^ 

These  various  reasons  adapt  ARM  CO  for  service  wherever  a 
rust-resisting  durable  sheet  metal  is  desirable.  The  uses  |  for  such 
are  numerous  and  are  partially  hsted  in  the  booklet  "Defeating  Rust."  ^ 
If  you  will  let  us  know  just  |  which  of  these  uses  interest  you  par- 
ticularly, we  shall  be  glad  to  give  you  definite  information  about  them.' 

Very  truly  |  yours,     (241) 

1  Refers  to  booklet    2  Explains  predicament    3  Quotes  disinterested  authority    4  Shows 
problem     5  Solution     6  Reawakens  interest  in  booklet    7  Offers  further  service 


36 

]\Ir.  B.  Franklin, 

1450  Jarvis  Street, 

Amsterdam,  New  York. 
Dear  Sir: 

Every  once  in  a  while  one  of  our  customers  comes  to  Pittsburgh 
and  spends  a  few  hours  in  |  the  factory.  After  he  has  seen  one  or 
two  floors  he  says,  "Why,  I  never  thought  the  cork  business  was  |  so 
far-reaching,  or  so  interesting  to  the  outsider."  ^ 

And  that  is  the  impression  most  people  have,  because  they 
don't  I  know  how  many  things  can  be  made  of  cork.  But  after  a 
visitor  leaves  our  factory,  he  generally  has  a  |  different  viewpoint. 
If  he  buys  cork  in  any  of  its  many  manufactured  forms,  he  remembers 
how  Armstrong  makes  it;  the  |  wonderful  machines  employed  in  its 
making;  and  the  way  every  bit  of  waste  is  utilized  and  made  into 
something  that  |  isn't  waste.  As  a  result,  he  knows  that  what  he- 
buys  from  Armstrong  is  going  to  be  high  in  quality,  |  reasonable  in 
cost,  and  backed  by  an  organization  whose  motto  is,  "The  cus- 
tomer first."  2 

For  the  sake  of  the  |  thousands  of  buyers  of  Armstrong  prod- 
ucts who  cannot  see  these  things  for  themselves,  we  are  printing  the 
most  vital  points  |  for  them  to  read.  A  small  folder  is  inclosed.  We 
beheve  it  will  be  worth  your  while  to  read  it.  |  There  are  others  com- 
ing in  a  few  weeks.  If  you  wish  copies  of  them  as  they  are  pubUshed, 
to  give  I  to  your  friends,  we  will  supply  them  gladly.^ 

Yours  for  co-operation,     ('231) 

1  Awakens  interest  in  the  business    2  Shows  cause  of  customer's  satisfaction  and  suggests 
purchase    3  Refers  to  folder  and  suggests  action 


LETTERS  TO  DEALERS  189 

37 

Mr.  Russell  Warner, 

6356  Farwell  Avenue, 

Bayonne,  New  Jersey. 
Dear  Sir: 

Human  nature  makes  all  of  us  more  or  less  selfish.  We  are  apt 
to  take  a  keener  interest  |  in  the  doings  of  other  people  if  we  are  af- 
fected by  them  ourselves.^  While  it  is  not  natural  for  a  |  customer  to 
care  about  the  details  of  an  organization  from  which  he  buys  goods, 
it  is  almost  essential  for  him  |  to  know  the  policies  which  regulate 
that  organization. 2 

In  dealing  with  this  company,  you  are  protected  by  pohcies  that 
were  |  formulated  for  your  benefit  —  policies  under  which  none  but 
high  grade  products  can  be  made  —  policies  that  assure  you  of  |  a 
dollar's  worth  for  every  dollar  you  spend.^  Some  people  have  said 
that  cork  is  cork,  but  those  who  have  |  purchased  from  more  than 
one  source  know  the  value  of  the  Armstrong  name. 

We  are  inclosing  a  few  reasons  for  |  the  good  will  which  exists 
between  our  customers  and  ourselves.^  Even  if  you  are  one  of  those 
who  seldom  see  a  |  representative  of  this  company,  but  go  on  buying 
from  us  just  the  same,  there  must  be  some  satisfaction  in  knowing  | 
some  of  the  things  we  are  trying  to  do.  We  want  you  to  know  us 
better.  If  there  has  ever  |  been  cause  for  complaint,  tell  us  about  it 
now  and  we  will  find  the  reason  and  correct  the  trouble. 

Very  |  truly  yours,     (222) 

1  Generalization    2  Particular    conclusion    3  Applied   to    the   present    case     4  Refers    to 
inclosure 


LETTERS  TO  DEALERS 

Letters  to  dealers  take  a  different  point  of  view  from 
those  addressed  to  consumers,  for  the  dealer  buys  to  sell 
again,  not  to  use.  New  ideas  that  will  help  to  sell  familiar 
goods,  or  new  goods  that  can  be  handled  at  a  profit,  form 
the  subject  matter  of  most  letters  of  this  class.  Usually 
more  urgent  persuasion  is  necessary  here,  because  each 
letter  must  compete  with  the  great  number  of  others  re- 


190  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES      ' 

ceived  by  the  dealer.  Thorough  understanding  of  the 
dealer's  needs  and  a  genuine  spirit  of  co-operation  for  their 
common  interest,  should  be  shown  by  the  writer. 

1 

Mr.  Charles  Clinton, 

1230  Murray  Avenue, 
Quincy,  Illinois. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  have  your  recent  request  for  our  General  Dry  Goods  Cata- 
logue. As  market  conditions  have  made  a  season  |  catalogue  imprac- 
tical we  issue  every  month  the  Field  Quality  News.  This  monthly 
catalogue,  we  find,  best  serves  the  interests  of  |  our  customers.^ 

The  merchandise  shown  in  this  monthly  catalogue  is,  in  many 
cases,  specially  purchased  for  that  particular  number,  so  |  that  you 
are  getting  the  very  newest  goods,  which,  if  you  buy  them  and  display 
them  and  advertise  them,  will  |  give  your  store  the  reputation  of 
being  up-to-date  and  alive  among  the  women  who  are  continually 
shopping  for  |  new  things.^ 

Keep  this  circular  throughout  the  month  and  refer  to  it  con- 
tinually, as  it  gives  you  the  means  for  |  the  very  quickest  possible 
turnover  on  seasonable  and  novelty  merchandise.  By  thus  using  it 
you  will  find  that  you  are  |  creating  a  demand  for  a  greater  variety 
of  goods  and  in  that  way  expanding  your  business.^ 

The  advertising,  merchandising,  and  |  window  trimming  sug- 
gestions in  the  Field  Quality  News  will  help  you  materially.^ 

If  you  have  some  particular  requirements  at  this  |  time,  either 
staple  or  novelty,  which  you  do  not  find  in  the  Field  Quality  News, 
please  write  us  describing  your  |  needs  and  we  wiU  fill  your  order 
promptly  and  at  the  lowest  price  the  market  permits.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (219) 

1  Subject;  monthly  catalogue  and  frequent  buying  best  serve  the  dealer  2  First  service 
3  Second  service    4  Incidental  service     5  Will  supply  deficiencies  of  monthly  catalogue 

2 

Mr.  W.  A.  Kjnsman, 

Terre  Haute,  Indiana. 
Dear  Sir: 

In  compliance  with  your  request  of  April  4  we  are  very  glad  to 
send  you  to-day  by  parcel  |  post  a  copy  of  our  #61  catalogue,  which 


LETTERS  TO  DEALERS  191 

is  our  latest.    On  account  of  the  extremely  unsatisfactory  conditions  | 
now  existing  £aid  the  difficulty  many  manufacturers  are  experiencing 
in  securing  raw  material,  which  in  turn  has  resulted  in  restricted  j 
manufacture  of  many  lines,  we  have  postponed  the  issuance  of  our  #62 
or  1917  catalogue  until  maniifacturing  j  conditions  are  more  stable.^ 

In  spite  of  these  unusual  conditions  our  stock  is  quite  complete 
and  on  a  great  many  |  items  we  are  considerably  under  the  market, 
owing  to  large  contracts  made  sometime  ago  which  are  still  in  force.^  | 

Under  these  circumstances  we  feel  that  we  are  in  much  better 
position  to  take  care  of  your  orders  than  any  |  other  concern  in  the 
JNliddle  West,  and  we  sohcit  your  orders  on  this  basis.  Mail  orders 
are  handled  by  expert  |  hardware  men  and  will  receive  the  same 
prompt  attention  and  low  prices  as  if  they  had  been  placed  through 
our  I  traveling  salesman.^ 

If  we  can  be  of  a  sistance  in  any  way  in  making  up  your  ord  t 
for  hardware  items  for  |  your  new  stock,  kindly  use  the  inclosed  en- 
velope to  address  the  writer  personally.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (217) 

1  Explains  sending  old  catalogue    2  Complete  stock  and  low  prices    3  Removes  objec- 
tions to  ordering  by  mail    4  Suggests  action 

3 

Mr.  A.  P.  Speare, 

Norfolk  &  Portsmouth  Belt  Line  Ry., 
Portsmouth,  Virginia. 
Dear  Sir: 

In  accordance  with  the  request  of  our  representative,  Mr.  S.  A. 
Lewis,  who  called  at  your  office  a  |  short  time  ago,  we  are  sending  you 
under  separate  cover  a  copy  of  our  Galvanized  Goods  Catalogue  designed 
especially  for  |  raUroads.  This  includes  practically  every  item  which 
you  may  have  occasion  to  order,  and  we  should  hke  to  have  you  | 
consult  it  when  in  the  market  for  any  class  of  galvanized  goods.^ 

Our  depot  located  at  #223  |  Water  Street,  Norfolk,  Virginia,  aims 
to  carry  a  stock  of  our  general  items.  We  should  hke  to  have  you  caU 
I  upon  them  when  in  immediate  need  of  auAi^hing  in  our  Hne,  and 
if  there  is  any  information  which  you  would  |  hke  to  have  regarding 
galvanized  goods,  we  feel  sure  that  they  can  take  care  of  you  at  that 
point. - 

We  I  trust  that  we  may  have  an  opportunity  to  serve  you  in  the 

near  future.^  -v  ^     i         .      . 

Yours  very  truly,     (157) 

1  Introduces  catalogue    2  Recommends  local  agent    3  Suggests  action 


192  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 


Young  &  Jordan, 

Grand  Rapids,  Michigan, 
Gentlemen:  Attention  —  Mr.  W.  C.  Young. 

Our  Mechanical  Goods  Department  has  referred  to  us  for  atten- 
tion that  part  of  your  |  letter  of  May  10  relating  to  tires  and  tubes. ^ 

We  shall  be  very  glad  indeed  to  give  you  any  information  |  you 
may  wish  pertaining  to  the  handling  of  our  product,  and  as  a  step  in 
this  direction  we  are  making  |  our  branch,  The  B.  F.  Goodrich  Rubber 
Company,  51  Division  Avenue,  N.  E.,  Grand  Rapids,  Michigan, 
acquainted  with  your  |  request.^ 

This  branch  has  been  established  for  the  sole  piu-pose  of  giving 
quicker  service  and  is  equipped  to  give  better  |  service  to  our  cus- 
tomers in  your  territory  than  would  be  possible  were  matters  pertain- 
ing to  tires  handled  from  here.^ 

You  I  win  hear  from  them  very  shortly,  for  they  appreciate  the 
opportunity  of  serving  you  as  much  as  we  do. 

Yours  I  very  truly,     (142) 

1  Reference     2  Refers  to  branch  office    3  Recommends  it    4  Courteously  suggests  giving 
order 


5 

W.  R.  Benedict  Lumber  Co., 

Albuquerque,  New  Mexico. 
Gentlemen : 

When  we  sent  you  a  copy  of  our  General  Hardware  Catalogue 
last  year,  we  hoped  that  we  might  have  |  the  pleasure  of  supplying 
a  share  of  your  builders'  hardware,  but  our  records  do  not  show  that 
we  have  made  |  you  a  shipment.^ 

We  are  selhng  builders'  hardware  and  kindred  goods  to  the 
lumber  trade  throughout  the  western  states,  especially  |  in  Idaho 
and  Utah,  where  a  great  many  lumber  yards  buy  our  goods  exten- 
sively.2 

We  should  like  to  fill  a  |  share  of  your  orders.  If  you  prefer  to 
have  us  quote  prices  before  shipping,   please  make  up  your  memo- 


LETTERS  TO  DEALERS  193 

randum    and  |  we  will  quote  you   our  best  wholesale  figures  by  re- 
turn mail.^ 

We  hope  you  will  give  this  subject  favorable  consideration  | 
when  ready  to  stock  up. 

If  you  are  handling  other  goods  in  our  line  and  will  give  us  a 
list  I  of  them  we  will  quote  you  low  prices.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (I5i) 

1  A  "jogging"  letter    2  Proves  ability  to  serve  this  customer     3  Asks  action     4  Suggests 
orders  in  other  lines  , 

6 

The  J.  C.  Buck  Company, 

Lincoln,  Nebraska. 
Gentlemen : 

May  we  take  up  with  you  your  order  of  February  26,  kindly 
given  Mr.  Otis,  for  April  1  |  shipment  of  one-half  gross  Rapid  Fire 
insect  powder,  with  one  and  a  half  dozen  free.^^  These  goods  are 
packed  |  fifteen  dozen  in  a  case,  one  gross  at  $9.00  per  gross,  with 
three  dozen  free  goods,  and  we  are  |  not  permitted  to  break  these 
cases  or  give  free  goods  with  orders  for  less  than  one  gross. ^ 

Rapid  Fire  is  |  a  very  qmck  seller  and  we  thought  possibly,  if 
we  called  your  attention  to  the  matter,  that  you  would  be  |  willing 
to  increase  the  quantity  to  one  gross,  in  order  that  you  may  obtain 
the  free  goods.-  If  this  is  |  agreeable  to  you,  kindly  inform  us  in  the 
inclosed  stamped  envelope  by  return  mail,  and  we  will  give  the  order  | 
immediate  attention.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (Uo) 

1  Explains  special  offer;  simply  states  facts    2  Suggests  larger  offer    3  Asks  action 


The  Holt  Shoe  Company, 
Portsmouth,  Maine. 
Gentlemen:  Attention — Mr.  Chas.  J.  Holt. 

Undoubtedly  you  have  examined  the  Textan  Sheet  sample 
submitted  with  our  proposition  of  April  |  29.^  If  you  use  Sheet  Sol- 
ing, we  would  like  to  put  you  in  a  position  to  demonstrate  that  Tex- 
tan I  sheet  is  your  best  buy.  In  fact,  we  presume  you  want  to  do  this 
yourself.-     Therefore,  we  shall  be  glad  |  to  handle  a  trial  order,  the 


194  CONSTRUCTIVE    DICTATION   EXERCISES 

results  of  which  we  believe  will  be  unusually  satisfactory.     May  we 
be  of  service  ]  to  you  right  now?  ^ 
"Use  Textan  —  it  is  better,"  ^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (92) 

1  Follows  up  the  sample    2  Assumes  customer's  desire  to  give  thorough  test    3  Urges 
action     4  Slogan 

8 

Mr.  Kendall  Darrick, 

410  Oakland  Avenue,  * 

Aurora,  Ilhnois. 
Dear  Sir: 

Are  you  interested  in  well   sprayed   Grimes  Golden   apples  — 
those  big  spicy  yellow  fellows  that  store  so  well  —  |  the  kind  we  will 
dehver  to  you  for  $.85  a  bushel,  bulk  car  lots  —  the  kind  you  can  | 
readily  sell  for  $1.00  or  more  a  bushel  and  make  a  good  profit?  ^ 

We  have  2500  bushels  |  Grimes  Goldens,  free  from  worms  and 
diseases,  which  we  will  pick  off  the  trees  and  ship  in  car  lots  or  |  less 
in  bulk,  barrels,  bushel  baskets,  or  in  crates.  Ry  the  single  barrel, 
we  quote  fancy,  minimum  2 J  |  inches,  ^3.50;  commercial  tree  run, 
$3.00;    #3  $2.25;  |  less  than  car  lots  —  f.o.b.  Campbellsburg,  Indiana.^ 

Can  you  not  come  down  here  to  the  orchards,  pick  out  |  your 
trees,  oversee  the  job,  and  take  them  home  with  you.*^  It  will  only 
take  one  day.  If  you  are  |  interested  but  cannot  come,  write  or  tele- 
graph collect  and  I  will  come  up  with  samples  and  talk  the  proposi- 
tion I  over  with  you.^ 

In  the  meantime,  look  us  up;  get  acquainted.  We  sold  through 
Simpson  Fruit  Co.,  Flora,  Illinois,  and  |  stored  at  Ebner  Storage,  Sey- 
mour, Indiana,  last  season.  Ask  them  about  the  quahty.  Write  to 
the  State  Rank  of  Campbellsburg,  j  Indiana,  or  any  business  house 
there  - —  ask  them  about  our  honesty  and  business  methods.^ 

Rut  let  us  hear  from  you  —  |  these  apples  should  be  advertised 
at  once.^  If  you  cannot  handle  a  car,  maybe  we  can  fix  up  a  partner- 
ship I  arrangement;  you  know  the  town  and  farmers  and  we  know 
the  apples.^ 

Let's  get  together.  WiU  you  not  write  or  |  telegraph  collect  — 
Orleans,  Indiana  —  right  now.^  Time  is  money;  we  will  ship  the  day 
your  order  is  taken  and  you  |  will  get  them  two  days  later.^ 

Very  truly  yours,      (309) 

1  Interesting    summary    of    whole    letter     2  Explains    offer    3  Urges    action     4  Removes 
objections.    Note  description,  and  action  suggestion 


LETTERS  TO   DEALERS  195 

9 

Mr.  Don  Appleton, 

405  Aldrich  Street, 

Chicago,  Illinois. 
Dear  Sir: 

Now  is  your  chance  to  get  something  better  than  those  big 
spicy  Grimes  Goldens  which  created  a  demand  |  three  times  as  big 
as  we  could  fill  ^  —  even  when  we  bought  up  all  the  available  fruit 
possible. 

Big  red  |  Rome  Beauties,  Winesaps,  Ben  Davis,  Indicuis  will  be 
picked  starting  Monday,  October  2  and  straight  and  mixed  cars  will 
start  I  rolling  immediately. 

We  quote  these  Romes  and  Winesaps  —  nice  orchard  run 
apples  carefully  sorted  and  containing  no  soft  rots  or  |  injuries  which 
impair  the  keeping  qualities  '■ — at  $1.80  a  hundredweight,  $.90  a 
bushel.  jVIinimum  size,  |  2  inches.  Ben  Da\ds  and  Indians  are  being 
sold  at  $1.55  a  hundred  in  bulk  car  |  lots  —  prepaid  delivery  to 
wherever  you  specify  on  all  varieties.^ 

By  all  means  come  down  and  pick  out  your  apples  ]  on  the 
trees;   see  what  beautiful  color  these  three  frosts  have  given  the  fruit. ^ 

By  the  single  barrel,  we  quote  |  Romes  and  Winesaps  #1  fancy 
pick,  minimum  2|  inches,  $3.50  bbl.;  #2  |  fancy  pick,  minimum  2| 
inches,  $3.00;  #3,  minimum  2  inches,  $2.50  bbl.  |  The  Ben  Davis 
and  Indians  are  $.75  less  a  barrel,  f.o.b.  Campbellsburg,  Indiana.- 

The  #1  I  and  #2  contain  only  perfect  apples  guaranteed  under 
all  state  and  national  regulations  in  writing.  The  #3  contain  |  apples 
with  no  injuries  such  as  soft  rots  which  will  impair  their  keeping.^ 

Again  we  ask  you  to  look  us  |  up.  The  Produce  Reporter  Co., 
Chicago,  has  thoroughly  investigated  us.  Will  you  not  ask  them 
what  they  found  out.^  ^ 

Use  I  the  Bell  telephone  and  Western  Union  telegraph,  both  at 
Campbellsburg,  Indiana.     Will  you  not  let  us  know  when  you  are  | 
coming  or  when  you  want  your  apples  shipped.^  ^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (3ii) 

1  Refers  to  former  success    2  Explains  offer     3  Urges  personal  action 


196  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION   EXERCISES 

10 

McKey  &  Felden, 

124  Center  Avenue, 

Memphis,  Tennessee. 
Gentlemen : 

Big  sales  made  by  actual  demonstration  —  that's  the  result 
accomplished  by  one  store  in  two  weeks  last  year  on  |  Nesco  Safety 
Christmas  Tree  Holders.^ 

Because  —  They  showed    the    advantages  of    having    a    metal 
holder  to  hold  water,  to  keep  |  the  tree  fresh  and  green,  to  give  less 
liabihty  to  fire  and  to  make  setting  up  easier.     The  holders  went  | 
Uke  hot  cakes  because  they  were  what  people  really  wanted.^ 

There  is  a  great  scarcity  of  merchandise  this  year;  hence  |  it  is 
absolutely  the  part  of  wisdom  to  consider  right  now  what  you  will 
want.3  The  two  weeks  before  Christmas  |  can  be  made  two  great, 
big  weeks,  if  you  want  to  do  so,  by  actually  demonstrating  the  fea- 
tures as  mentioned  |  above. 

How  many  holders  shall  we  enter  for  you.*^  ^ 

$4.00  a  Dozen  for  the  No.  12  —  to  sell  for  |  60^  each. 
5.00  a  Dozen  for  the  No.  14  —  to  sell  for  75^  each. 
6.50  I  a  Dozen  for  the  No.  16  — to  sell  for  $1.00  each. 
We  will  furnish  some  folders  |  hke  the  inclosed  with  every  order 
if  desired.^ 

Yours  very  truly, 

P.  S.  One  word  of  caution:  Immediate  booking  of  orders  foUowed 
by  quick  shipment  is  absolutely  essential  to  prevent  your  being 
disappointed.^     (^^^3) 

1  Shows  result     2  Explains  cause     3  Urges  prompt  action     4  Specific  request  for  action 
5  Additional  offer     6  Emphasizes  prompt  action 

11 

Wheeling  &  Lawrence, 

708  Dunning  Street, 

Montgomery,  Alabama. 
Gentlemen : 

The  grocery  store  is  the  place  where  most  of  us  buy  our 
Christmas  Trees,i  and  it  would  be  very  |  natural  and  easy  to  buy  a 
Christmas-Tree  Holder  right  at  the  same  time  if  it  were  there,  being 
shown,  I  in  plain  sight.^ 

The  fact  that  thousands  of  dozens  of  Nesco  Safety  Christmas- 


LETTERS  TO   DEALERS  197 

Tree  Holders  were  sold  last  year  with  |  a  tremendous  increase  in  the 
sales  over  previous  years  is  evidence  enough  of  the  fact  that  men  and 
women  alike  |  are  eager  for  the  right  sort  of  Christraas-Tre^*Holder.^ 
There  is  opportunity  for  you  to  sell  these  to  the  |  grocery  trade.^ 
The  attached  circular  gives  a  little  of  the  details.  You  can 
have  some  of  these  if  you  want  |  them  for  your  own  distribution  to 
your  grocery  trade.     The  folder  is  intended  for  consumer  use.^ 

It  isn't  too  early  |  now  to  consider  booking  orders  for  fall  de- 
livery; in  fact,  disappointment  lurks  around  the  corner.  Shall  we 
quote  you  with  |  the  purpose  of  booking  your  orders  now.*^  ^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (170) 

1  General   statemant     2  Particular  conclusion     3  Reinforced   by  facts     4  Subject;    shows 
jobber's  opportunity     5  Additional  offer     6  Requests  action 

Morris  &  Sons  Co., 

209  Brady  Street, 

Saginaw,  Michigan. 
Gentlemen : 

Questions  will  pop  up,  especially  about  a  new  article.  And  so 
we  have  answered  quite  a  number  in  the  |  inclosed  folder  "Why.^"  ^ 
Esther  AA  ing  Pie  Plates  are  a  result  of  a  new  idea  in  baking  pies  ^ 
and  they  promise  |  to  revolutionize  the  work  required  of  our  stomachs. 
We  men  do  like  good  pies  —  here's  something  that  will  produce  them.  | 
One  can't  eat  his  pie  and  keep  it  too.  Nobody  wants  to  keep 
pies  cooked  in  Esther  Wing  Pie  Plates;  |  neither  will  you  want  to  keep 
the  pie  plates  —  sell  them.^  These  are  the  prices :  — 
#709  —  $22.00  I  per  Gross  —  $2.40  per  doz.  to  retailers, 

sells  for  306  each. 
$710  I  —  $24.00  per  Gross  —  $2.75  per  doz.  to  retailers, 

sells  for  35  d  I  each. 
Yours  very  truly,     (146) 

1  Calls  attention  to  inclosure     2  Subject     3  Cleverly  suggests  action.     Note  conciseness, 
epigram,  and  humor 

13 

T.  Lewis  &  Sons, 

487  Whitefish  Bay, 

New  Bedford,  Massachusetts. 
Gentlemen : 

Did  you  ever  have  a  lamp  that  you  had  to  keep  fussing  with  all 
the  time  —  watching  it  and  |  turning  it  back  and  down  to  get  it  burn- 


198  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

ing  just  exactly  right?    Pretty  nearly  everyone  of  us  can  answer,  yes.  | 
So  we  are  pretty  nearly  on  common  ground.^ 

But  here's  a  lamp  that  you  don't  have  to  do  that  with.^  |  The 
holes  in  the  burner  are  counted  so  that  there  shall  be  just  exactly  the 
right  number  — the  size  is  |  just  exactly  right  and  they  are  punched 
at  just  the  right  places  to  give  combustion  as  it  ought  to  be.  | 

There's  a  lock  so  that  the  frame  cannot  burn  up  too  high,  and 
when  it  is  turned  down  it  goes  }  out  automatically.     It's  the  nicest, 
most  correct  sort  of  burner  one  could  wish  for.    And  the  burner  part 
combined  |  with  the  fount  as  a  whole  —  shape,  size  and  everything 
—  affords  the  greatest  economy  of  burning.     That's  the  lamp  that  | 
goes  in  Nesco  Perfect  Oil  Heaters.^ 

And  that's  the  sort  of  satisfaction  you  would  like  to  sell,  and 
you  can  |  sell  when  you  seU  those  heaters.^ 

Another  feature  is  the  Nesco  Perfect  Wick  which  means  profit 
for  you  in  reselling  |  and  makes  it  wonderfully  easy  to  the  consumer 
for  rewicking.  The  wicks  come  pac  ed  in  a  carton  all  ready  to  j  mail 
without  any  trouble  at  aU.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (229) 

1  Appeals  to  common  experience;  the  predicament     2  The  remedy     3  Explanation     4  Sug- 
gests actioii     5  Additional  subject 

14 

Mr.  Donald  Roe, 

254  Cedar  Street, 

Racine,  Wisconsin. 
Dear  Sir: 

Are  you  selling  as  many  chairs  as  you  would  like  to.^  ^  If  not, 
NOW  is  the  time  to  |  mow  hay.  The  cr  p  reports  are  good,  and  the 
farmers  are  bound  to  buy. 

We  are  mailing  you,  to-day,  a  |  copy  of  our  latest  illustrated 
catalogue  containing  cuts  of  the  900  chairs  which  make  up  our  large 
and  complete  |  staple  line.  We  are  also  including  a  copy  of  our  de- 
scriptive price  list. 

Take  advantage  of  the  opportunity  to  stock  |  up  on  chairs  which 
will  give  such  complete  satisfaction  to  your  customers  that  they  will 
continue  to  favor  you  with  |  their  orders.- 

You  no  doubt  have  heard  of  the  Sheboygan  Chair  Company's 
"  DIAMOND  LINE"  of  chairs  which  are  the  product  |  of  44  years 
of  actual  experience  in  chair  designing  —  all  successful  dealers  have. 
Why  not  place  an  order  for  |  a  trial  shipment  of  them  to-day?     The 


LETTERS  TO   DEALERS  199 

high  quality  of  the  goods  you  would  receive  would  please  both  you 
and  I  your  customers.^ 

First-class  lumber,  well  dried  and  seasoned  before  being  put 
into  the  chair;  good,  uniform  varnish;  superior  workmanship;  |  and 
A-#l  trimmings  are  characteristic  of  our  entire  "DIAMOND  LINE." 
These  essential  features  combined  with  extreme  comfort-making  | 
qualities,  shapely  designs,  and  REASONABLE  PRICES,  make  our 
chairs  the  best  that  the  market  offers.^ 

Moreover,  our  interest  in  our  |  customers  does  not  end  with 
the  sale.  We  are  looking  for  second  orders.  Therefore,  we  not  only 
''CONFINE  OUR  SALES  TO  |  DEALERS  ONLY";  but  manu- 
facture chairs  that  give  such  complete  satisfaction  to  the  users  that 
they  in  turn  will  "CONFINE  THEIR  PURCHASES  TO  THE  DEALER 
WHO  SELLS  OUR  '  DIAMOND  LINE.'  "  ^ 

We  hope  that  we  may  hear  favorably  from  you.  We  |  assure 
you  that  all  of  your  orders,  however  small,  will  receive  our  prompt 
and  careful  attention.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     ('•zga) 

1  Suggests  predicament     2  Shows  remedy     3  Asks  action  and  shows  result  of  action     4  Ex- 
plains value  of  article     5  Additional  inducements 

15 

Mr.  D.  L.  Harley, 

54  Prospect  Avenue, 

Hartford,  Connecticut. 
Dear  Sir: 

YOU  want  more  customers,  and  so  do  WE.^  That  is  why  we 
mailed  you  a  copy  of  our  |  latest  catalogue  about  a  week  ago.- 

Ever  since  our  business  was  estabhshed  back  in  1868,  we  have 
kept  I  in  close  touch  with  the  thousands  of  dealers  throughout  the 
entire  Union  who  sell  our  "DIAMOND  LINE"  of  chairs,  have  | 
carefully  watched  the  demand  in  order  to  ascertain  just  which  of  our 
chairs  were  universally  the  best  sellers;  have  made  j  our  chairs  with 
the  strictest  observance  of  first-class  workmanship  and  high  grade 
material.^ 

That  is  why  we  stand  ready  |  to  offer  you,  to-day,  a  line  of  chairs 
which  are  correct  in  every  detail;    chairs  with  which  we  know  we  | 
shall  be  able  to  satisfy  you,  and  with  which  you  in  turn  will  be  able 
to  satisfy  yoiu'  customers  so  |  that  they  will  come  back,  not  to  com- 
plain,   but  to  ORDER  AGAIN.'' 

Moreover,  we   stand  ready  to   offer  you  SERVICE.  |  Not  only 


200  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

do  we  confine  our  sales  strictly  to  dealers;  but  we  keep  in  such  close 
touch  with  our  many  |  friends  and  customers  that  we  are  enabled  to 
adjust  all  differences  which  may  arise  to  their  complete  satisfaction.^ 

We  wish  I  that  you  would  favor  us  with  an  opportunity  to  fill 
your  orders.  We  know  that  the  goods  we  would  send  |  you  would 
meet  with  your  complete  satisfaction.^ 

Let  us  hear  favorably  from  you.  Place  your  order  with  us; 
and  in  |  return,  we  shall  demonstrate  how  well  equipped  we  are  to 
serve  your  interests  to  your  best  advantage,  and  to  please  |  you  in 
every  respect.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (267) 

1  Suggests  common  interests  2  Follow-up  3  Reason  for  ability  to  serve  4  Result  5  Ad- 
ditional argument     6  Asks  action 

16 

Mr.  Victor  Johnson, 

Auburn,  New  York. 
Dear  Sir: 

The  Hoosier  Kitchen  Cabinet  is  the  fastest  selling  article  in  the 
furniture  store  to-day.^ 

Here's    the    proof  —  The  |  Okmulgee    Furniture    Company    of 
Okmulgee,  Oklahoma,  a  town  of  4000  population,  writes  as  follows: 
"We  received  the  car  of  |  cabinets.     In  only  four  days, 

we  have  sold  thirteen.     We  are  confident  we  wiU  need 

another  car  soon  and  kindly  |  advise  us  how  quickly  you 

can  make  shipment  upon  receipt  of  order." 

Exactly  ten  days  later  we  received  their  order  |  for  a  carload 
of  64  cabinets.  These  people  have  ordered  204  cabinets  this  year. 
They  have  |  been  making  money  because  they  took  advantage  of 
ripe  conditions  for  selling  Hoosiers.^ 

You  would  be  interested  to  know  that  over  |  50%  of  our  in- 
creased business  has  come  from  the  small  towns.  We  were  wondering 
just  why  this  |  was  —  until  Mr.  E.  A.  Grubitz  of  G.  R.  Grubitz  & 
Sons  Co.  of  Elk  City,  put  us  on  the  |  right  track. 

He  writes: 

"Our  Hoosier  sales  this  fall  have  been  mostly  to  farmers. 

The  farmers  have  more  money  than  |  they  ever  had  before. 

I  am  simply  calling  your  attention  to  a  fact  that  might  have 

been  overlooked  by  you  |  and  possibly  by  some  Hoosier 

Agents."  ^ 

This  company  has  made  a  wonderful  record  this  year.     Up  to 


LETTERS  TO  DEALERS  201 

date  they  have  |  given  us  orders  for  98  cabinets.     They  have  a  Profit 
Sharing  Rebate  contract  too. 

This  has  been  the  greatest  |  Hoosier  Kitchen  Cabinet  year  in 
our  history.  Conditions  seem  made  to  order  for  Hoosiers.  More 
cabinets  are  being  sold  now  |  than  ever  before,  because  they  do  for 
the  people  what  the  people  are  asked  to  do  —  conserve  food  supphes 
and  I  energy.^ 

Every  move  for  greater  kitchen  economy  helps  to  sell  Hoosier 
Kitchen  Cabinets.  This  idea  can  be  just  as  big  |  as  you  want  to  make 
it.  If  you  capitalize  it  for  all  it  is  worth,  your  Hoosier  business  is 
bound  I  to  leap  ahead. 

The  approacliing  hohday  season  will  increase  the  demand  for 
Hoosier  Kitchen  Cabinets. 

People  are  not  going  to  |  waste  their  money  this  year  on  fooUsh, 
expensive  gifts.  For  this  reason  the  Hoosier  Kitchen  Cabinet  is  a 
100%  ]  economical  buy.^ 

I  should  be  glad  to  see  you  go  in  for  this  Christmas  business 
hard  and  am  |  urging  you  to  buy  at  least  six  cabinets  now,  in  order 
to  take  advantage  of  our  present  low  prices.  Up  |  to  date  only  the 
Hoosier  Wonders  have  advanced,  but  on  December  1  all  other  styles 
will  go  up  from  $1.25  |  to  $2.00  each.  On  an  order  of  six  cabinets, 
you  will  make  a  sa\dng  |  of  $10.00  or  $12. 00.^ 

At  the  same  time  I  shall  be  glad  to  divide  your  bill,  making  it  | 
payable  one-sixth  every  30    days.      Under  this   plan  your  monthly 
payments  are  no  larger  than  when  paying  for  one  |  cabinet  under 
our  regular  terms.^ 

Cordially  yours,     (486) 

1  Assertion    2  Proof    through    testimony    3  Suggests    opportunity    4  Timely    arguments 
5  Price  argument  and  request  for  action     6  Makes  action  easy 

17 

Mr.  E.  O.  Houston, 

176  Newberry  Street, 
Hamilton,  Ohio. 
Dear  Sir: 

This  letter  contains  suggestions  and  ideas  of  other  dealers  about 
Christmas  business.     It  will  pay  you  to  read  |  it.^ 

The  Christmas  spirit  is  going  to  be  just  as  big  as  ever  this  year 
—  but  more  economical.  People  are  j  not  going  to  spend  their  money 
foolishly  on  luxurious  and  expensive  gifts.^ 

The  Hoosier  Kitchen  Cabinet  is  a  logical  gift  I  —  it  does  for  the 


202  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

people  what  the  people  are  being  asked  to  do —  that  is,  save  time,  steps," 
labor  and  even  food  |  suppUes.     This  idea  —  which  will  sell  cabinets 
—  can  be  made  just  as  big  as  you  want  to  make  it.^ 

Milton  I  Marx,  of  Louis  Marx  &  Brothers,  Newport,  Kentucky, 
says: 

"Early  in  December  I  am  going  to  cover  the  floor  of  | 

both  of  our  stores  with  Hoosier  Kitchen  Cabinets,  because  I 

know  that  this  year  above  all  years,  Hoosiers  are  going  |  to 

seU  fast.    We  believe  it  will  be  the  biggest  Hoosier  Kitchen 

Cabinet  year  we  have  ever  had." 

A.  Dirkson  |  &  Sons,  Springfield,  lUinois,  write: 

"The  Hoosier  is  a  one  hundred  per  cent  Christmas  gift. 

We  sold  a  lot  last  |  year  for  Christmas  gifts.     We  will  sell 

more  this  year."  ^ 

You  have  the  greatest  opportunity  to  sell  cabinets  to-day  — 
now  —  I  that  you  ever  had.  Every  newspaper,  magazine,  and  bill- 
board in  the  country  is  pointing  an  accusing  finger  at  the  |  people 
and  telling  them  to  conserve  food  supplies  and  energy. 

This  is  wonderful  advertising  for  all  of  us.  It  ties  |  up  per- 
fectly, to  19  years  of  consistent  Hoosier  advertising.^ 

Many  of  our  dealers,  taking  advantage  of  present  conditions, 
are  cleaning  |  up.  Some  of  them  who  a  year  ago  were  only  selhng 
one  or  two  cabinets,  have  jumped  to  25  |  or  30  and  are  writing  in  for 
more  as  fast  as  we  can  ship  them.^  <« 

Have  you  prepared  for  your  |  Christmas  demand.^  ^ 

Cordially,     (303) 

1  Offers  unprejudiced  testimony    2  General  statement    3  Particular  application     4  Sup- 
ported by  testimony     5  Timely  argument     6  Suggests  action 

18 

Mr.  E.  Barnes, 

198  Clarke  Street, 

Peoria,  Illinois. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  have  been  digging  through  our  ledger  lately  and  we  have 
uncovered  some  mighty  interesting  facts  ^  —  some  in  |  particular 
that  we  want  to  ask  your  opinion  about.^ 

Doesn't  a  gross  profit  of  $465.65  |  on  one  month's  separator 
business   sound   mighty   good?  ^ 

That's  the  record  for  May,  1916,  |  of  one  Sanitary  Milwaukee 
dealer,  W.  H.  Soule  of  Scotts.    He  bought  15  separators.    They  cost 


LETTERS  TO   DEALERS  203 

him  $606.85  —  |  figured  at  list  less  the  usual  trade  discounts.  He 
sold  the  entire  lot  between  May  8  and  |  June  1.  He  took  in  exactly 
$1072.50  from  those  sales.     His  profit  was  |  $465.65.^ 

This  is  the  beauty  of  handhng  the  Sanitary  Milwaukee.  Every 
sale  I  pays  you  a  good,  big,  legitimate  profit.  Sales  are  easy  to  make, 
too.  The  farmer  is  quick  to  see  that  |  the  Sanitary  Milwaukee  means 
bigger  cream  checks  for  him.^ 

Can  you  use  some  Sanitary  Milwaukee  profits  in  your  business .^^ 
With  I  your  methods  you  can  certainly  duplicate  Soule's  success.^  We 
are  holding  your  territory  open  for  you.  When  do  you  want  |  us  to 
make  that  first  shipment  to  you.»^ 

Sincerely  yours,     (loo) 

1  Specific  words  present  interesting  visual  image  2  Asks  dealer's  opinion;  appeals  to  his 
pride  3  Result  4  Cause  5  General  conclusion,  applied  to  reader  6  Suggests  imitation 
of  success 


19 

Mr.  Paul  Terry, 

142  Linus  Street, 

]\Iemphis,  Tennessee. 
Dear  Sir: 

Here's  a  deal  that  started  in  a  barber  shop  at  Raxter,  Iowa.  Mr. 
C.  S.  Rishop  has  since  |  reafized  some  generous  profits  out  of  it  and 
the  other  fellow  is  still  telfing  about  the  opportune  buy  he  made.^  | 

Seeing  that  you  are  interested  in  the  whole  story,  here  it  is:  Mr. 
Rishop  felt  that  there  was  no  great  |  market  for  cream  separators 
there  at  Raxter.  He  wa§  satisfied  to  let  what  fittle  business  \v'as  actu- 
ally stirring  go  to  |  his  competitors. 

Retween  trains  in  that  town,  oiu*  salesman  stopped  oxer  to  get 
a  shave.  While  waiting  for  "next,"  he  |  paged  through  his  catalogue. 
A  man  at  his  elbow  spoke  up,  "I  have  been  reading  about  that  separa- 
tor in  my  |  farm  papers.  I  am  going  to  get  one.  My  wife  and  I  have 
both  decided  it's  the  separator  for  us.  |  Does  my  friend  Rishop  over 
here  handle  'em.^" 

"No,  he  doesn't.  I  just  came  from  there.  I  couldn't  inter- 
est him."  I 

Well,  the  upshot  of  it  was  that  they  went  back  to  Rishop  and 
Rishop  agreed  to  have  one  shipped  out  |  for  his  friend.  That  was 
last  February.      Since  then,   Mr.   Rishop  has  ordered  a  total   of   18 


204  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

Sanitary  Milwaukees.  The  |  average  amount  of  money  he  has  had 
tied  up  in  those  separators  has  been  $93.20.  |  His  profits  total  $596.89. 
Now  he  is  thinking  |  of  taking  on  more  territory  and  going  after  the 
business  harder  than  ever.'- 

The  Sanitary  Milwaukee  advertising  sold  that  first  |  machine. 
It  created  the  demand.  Mr.  Bishop's  personal  efforts  coupled  with 
Sanitary  Milwaukee  advertising  is  still  pulling  business  his  way,  | 
The  personal  letters  we  have  been  writing  his  customers  have  helped 
a  lot,  too,  and  that  same  salesman  has  found  |  more  prospects  for 
Mr.    Bishop.3 

That's  the  same  combination  we  put  behind  every  dealer.  It's 
a  sure  business  |  getter.  Your  firm  has  been  suggested  for  member- 
ship in  the  circle  of  the  elect.     Inclosed  is  an  apphcation  card.* 

Yours  I  very  truly,     (342) 

1  Introduces  story  2  Testimony  in  story  form  3  Enforces  conclusion  4  Humorous  re- 
quest for  an  order 

20 

Mr.  Lewis  Marrow, 

Newport,  Kentucky. 
Dear  Sir: 

Just  read  that  memorandum  Mrs.  "Farmer"  Jones  handed  to 
Henry,  her  better  half,  when  he  started  to  town.  |  Here's  what  it 
says:  "5  Lbs.  granulated  sugar,  1  can  35i  coffee,  a  package  of  allspice 
and,  I  don't  forget  to  bring  back  one  of  those  Sanitary  Milwaukee 
Cream  Separators,  hke  Mrs.  Brown's.  I'm  tired  of  |  tussling  with 
that  big,  overgrown  bowl  on  our  separator.  Mrs.  Brown  can  wash 
her  separator  in  about  five  minutes  and  |  do  it  thoroughly.  I  have 
to  fuss  a  lot  longer  with  ours  and  then  I  don't  think  we  |  ever  manage 
to  get  it  real  clean."  ^ 

Mrs.  Jones  got  her  Sanitary  Milwaukee  that  very  day.  She 
was  tickled  when  j  Henry  unloaded  it.  She's  been  happy  ever  since. 
She's  told  several  of  her  neighbors  she  wouldn't  be  |  without  it  for 
twice  what  it  cost.     It  reheves  her  of  hours  of  drudgery .^ 

When  Henry  is  through  skimming,  Mrs.  |  Jones  washes  the 
bowl  in  a  dish  pan  of  soapy,  warm  water,  and  has  it  ready  for  the 
next  skimming,  I  all  in  five  minutes.-  No  cumbersome  wire  holder  to 
bother  with.  No  prodding  of  inaccessible  holes  or  crevices  with  a  | 
brush.  Every  part  of  the  bowl  is  right  at  her  finger  tips  —  easy  to 
get  at.     She  washes  the  smooth  |  aluminum  disks  just  hke  she  washes 


LETTERS  TO   DEALERS  205 

her  table  dishes  and  just  as  quick.    Now  she  has  only  twelve  disks  to  | 
care  for.    After  washing  up  she  slips  them  back  on  the  bowl  core  in 
any  order.     They  are  interchangeable.^ 

There  |  are  a  lot  of  Mr.  &  Mrs.  Joneses  right  at  your  doorstep. 
They  are  looking  for  the  same  cream  separator  |  advantages  that 
Mrs.  Jones  insisted  upon  having.  Is  the  next  Mr.  Jones  who  calls 
for  a  Sanitary  Milwaukee  going  to  |  be  disappointed  and  turn  away, 
because  you  can't  serve  him?  ^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (314) 

1  Language  of  conversation  attracts  attention     2  Pictures  action  and  result    3  Pictures 
satisfactory  use     4  Applies  the  illustration  to  the  reader 


21 

Mr.  School  Supply  Man: 

Did  you  ever  happen  to  think  what  a  help  Beaver  Board  for 
walls  and  ceihngs  was  |  in  selling  Beaver  Greenboard  and  Bea%  er 
Blackboard.^*  ^ 

Years  of  National  Advertising  have  made  people  famihar  with 
Beaver  Board  and  The  |  Beaver  Board  Companies.  Beaver  Board 
has  made  friends.  Thousands  of  people  have  used  it  and  are  enthu- 
siastic over  it.  These  |  people  always  have  a  good  word  to  say  for 
Beaver  Board  and  the  Beaver  Board  Company.^ 

This  uniformly  good  opinion  |  helps  you  to  sell  Beaver  Green- 
board  and  Beaver  Blackboard.  Beaver  Greenboard  and  Beaver 
Blackboard  are  hnked  to  Beaver  Board  both  |  by  name  and  trade- 
mark. Beaver  Blackboard  is  particularly  mentioned  in  all  Beaver 
Board  ads  as  these  reproductions  show.  Peopl  |  naturally  connect 
Beaver  Board  with  Beaver  Greenboard  and  Beaver  Blackboard  and 
are  much  quicker  to  buy  Greenboard  or  Beaver  Blackboard  |  because 
they  are  backed  by  a  nationally  known  company.^ 

You  know  that  goods  won't  sell  on  reputation  and  name  |  alone. 
However,  Beaver  Greenboard  and  Beaver  Blackboard  have  the  win- 
ning combination  of  reputation,  name  and  quaUty  which  help  the 
sales  I  wonderfully.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (184) 

1  Argument  summarized     2  Statement  of  established  fact,   "Our  company  has  good  will 
of  public"     3  Draws  conclusion  from  fact    4  States  additional  argument 


206  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATIOxN   EXERCISES 

22 
Dear  Sir: 

The  big  Goodrich  service  flag  now  has  over  2500  stars  on  it.^ 

This  means  that  so  |  many  of  our  salesmen  are  selling  Democracy 
to  the  Kaiser  that  we  have  no  one  to  cail  on  you.^ 

Rut  I  we  want  your  business  and  we  want  you  to  know  that 
our  service  here  in  Cleveland  is  just  as  good  [  as  ever  in  spite  of  war 
conditions.^ 

And  we  have  the  tires.  Last  feJl  and  winter  the  factory  made 
tires  I  three  shifts  a  day  for  months  so  as  to  be  prepared  for  our  dealers' 
wants,  and  we  can  ship  you  |  a  supply  on  a  moment's  notice.^ 

Our  dealers'  price  list  gives  you  a  bigger  margin  of  profit  than 
almost  any  |  other  company.  You  make  25  %  on  Fabric,  30  %  on 
Silvertown  Cords  and  50%  j    on  Grey  and  Red  Tubes.^ 

Look  over  your  stock,  and  see  if  you  are  not  low  on  one  or  two  | 
popular  sizes.     Don't  delay,  because  delay  means  lost  sales.^ 

Put  the  inclosed  order  blank  to' work. 

Yours  truly,      (178) 

1  Interesting  fact,  arouses  7   '.riv^tism     2  Explains  result    3  Reassures  dealer  as  to  service 
4  And  as  to  stock     5  Price  argument     6  Urges  action 

23 

Dear  Sir: 

You  know  how  business  picks  up  between  Friday  and  Monday.^ 

It  is  during  these  week-ends  that  motorists  |  flock  in.  They 
have  been  planning  on  using  the  "bus"  and  they  need  tires.  They 
have  been  thinking  tires  the  |  first  part  of  the  week  —  then  from 
Friday  until  Monday  they  buy  them.^ 

On  Monday  when  you  look  over  your  |  racks  you  will  always 
find  that  you  are  very  low  on  some  sizes.  Then  you  must  order  addi- 
tional stock  at  I  once  to  take  care  of  the  next  week-end  rush.^ 

Start  Monday,  July  1,  by  ordering  the  Goodrich  tires  you  |  will 
need  for  the  week.  Then  continue  to  do  this  every  Monday  —  it  is 
a  habit  easily  formed.  This  will  |  prepare  you  with  a  supply  of  Good- 
rich in  aU  sizes  so  that  you  wiU  not. have  to  turn  away  customers.*  | 

Make  up  your  sorting  order  to-day.  And  don't  forget  the  acces- 
sories. This  is  a  big  driving  season,  and  the  |  profits  come  to  the 
dealer  who  has  the  stock.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (172) 

1  Appeals  to   common  experience     2  Detailed  explanation     3  Reminds  dealer  of   predica 
ment     4  Urges  action  as  remedy     5  Asks  action  and  pictures  results 


LETTERS  TO   DEALERS  207 

24 

Dear  Sir: 

In  the  window  of  a  prominent  Chicago  tire  dealer  is  a  card  bearing 

this  inscription:  ^ 

"Naturally  we  |  push  the  tire  that  gives  our  customers 
the  greatest  amount  of  service  and  the  least  trouble  in  ad- 
justments. We  recommend  |  Goodrich  tires,  and  we  have 
built  up  a  big  permanent  business  by  pursuing  this  friendly 
policy."  2 
Read    that    again  —  "the  |  tire    that    gives    our    customers    the 

greatest  amount  of  service  and  the  least  trouble  in  adjustments."  ^ 
Last  year  99  |  out  of  every  100  Goodrich  tires  piled  up   extra 

miles  and  never  came  back  for  adjustments.     And  the  dealer  |  profits 

are  big.     Compare  our  prices  with  those  of  other  standard  makes  — 

the  comparison  is  interesting.^ 

Goodrich   tires  are  in  |  harmony  with  the  spirit  of   the  times. 

They  are   practical  tires,  big  mileage  producers,  and  are  fair  Usted.^ 
Send  in  |  the  inclosed  order  blank  to-day. 

Yours  sincerely,      (U7) 

1  Secures   attention    by  word   picture     2  Testimony     3  Emphasis     4  Reason   for   satisfac- 
tion    5  Epigrammatic  summary 

25 

Dear  Sir: 

Before  you  can  decide  upon  profits  in  tires,  you  must  have  a 
standard  of  comparison.^ 

COST  is  what  |  you  pay  for  tires  when  you  get  them  from  the 
manufacturer. 

Price  is  what  you  charge  your  customers  when  they  |  come 
into  your  store  to  buy. 

*  PROFIT  is  the  difference  between  your  buying  and  seUing 
price.2 

Compare  ^  the  profit  you  |  make  on  Goodrich  tires  with  those 
of  any  other  standard  make.  Check  up  ^  your  profit  of  25  %  j  on 
fabric  cases,  30%  on  Silvertown  Cords  and  50%  on  inner  tubes  and 
see  if  there  |  is  more  money  in  any  other  well  advertised  tire. 

Goodrich  tires  are  sold  to  users  on  very  fair  terms  and  |  need 
httle  or  no  selling  effort  on  your  part.  A  good  many  of  our  dealers 
turn  their  money  six  times  |  a  year.^ 

You  are  now  in  the  middle  of  a  busy  tire  seUing  season.     Get 


208  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

a  good  assortment  of  Goodrich  |  on  your  shelves  and  make  money 
along  with  our  many  other  satisfied  dealers.^ 

Yours  truly, 

*  It  never  pays  to  cut  |  prices  —  you  don't  have  to  on  Goodrich  tires.      (188) 

1  General  statement,  easily  agreed  to  2  These  paragraphs  draw  attention  to  the  next  state- 
ment 3  Verbs  that  suggest  action  4  Reminds  dealer  of  easy  sale  5  Summarizes  appeals 
and  urges  action 

26 

Mr.  C.  Nash, 

24  Bismarck  Street, 

Columbus,  Ohio. 
Dear  Sir: 

Hope  you  received  that  letter  we  wrote  to  you  a  week  ago.^ 

We  are  ready  for  business  now  |  —  big  or  little,^ 

You  know  we  maie  every  part  for  the  greenhouse  but  the  glass; 
and  sell  any  part.  So  |  no  matter  whether  it's  only  some  simple  little 
fitting  you  want,  or  are  ready  to  talk  about  a  Pipe  Frame  |  or  Iron 
Frame  house,  write  us  just  the  same.  In  planning  and  deciding  upon 
a  new  house  and  its  construction  |  or  heating,  take  it  up  with  us.^ 

Get  the  advantage  of  our  half  a  century's  experience  in  the 
business. 

It  I  gives  us  a  good  chance  to  get  you  better  acquainted  with 
Lord  &  Burnham  Co.,  and  their  way  of  doing  |  things.  This  getting 
acquainted,  we  find,  is  more  than  half  of  getting  the  business.* 

Need  anything  just  now? 

Or  do  I  you  want  us  to  run  down  and  see  you? 

Write  to  our  nearest  office.^ 

Yours  truly,     (156) 

1  Follow-up  2  Suggests  action  3  Reminds  of  ability  to  serve  4  Suggests  that  further 
inquiry  will  bring  satisfaction     5  Brief  sentences  stimulate  action 


27 
Mr.  Wm.  F.  Hawes, 

Lansing,  Michigan. 
Dear  Sir: 

You  have  had  some  important  letters  from  us  lately;  they  were 
important  to  you  as  well  as  to  |  us.  They  did  not  try  to  tell  you  all 
about  our  line;    that  can  come  later.^ 

But  we  did  ask  |  if  you  would  like  to  see  it;    and  that  is  where 


LETTERS  TO  DEALERS  209 

the  importance  comes  in.    We  want  you  to  see  |  it;    and  after  you  do 
see  it,  you  will  wonder  why  we  have  not  kept  after  you  harder.- 

Because  you   will  |  learn   then   that   we   are  offering  the   retail 
merchant  a  means  of  increasing  his  sales,  not  simply  a  chance  to  | 
buy  goods.^ 

This  season  especially,  what  you  buy  is  important.^ 

Do  you  want  to  see  our  line? 

Yours  truly,     (iio) 

1  Follow-up    2  Repeats    previous    question     3  Shows    merchant's    advantage    4  Timely 
argument 

28 

Coddington  &  Welch, 
^    286  Godfrey  Avenue, 

Flichmond,  Virginia. 
Gentlemen : 

Want  to  sell  more  Nesco  Perfect  Oil  Heaters?  "Yes,"  you 
answer  quick  —  just  hke  that.  And  so  we  say  |  we  will  help  you. 
And  here  is  what  we  will  do:  ^ 

We  will  run  on  your  letterheads,  to  be  furnished  |  by  you,  a 
letter  like  the  inclosed  with  a  handsome  picture  of  the  Nesco  Perfect 
Oil  Heater  tipped  right  on  |  it.^ 

Then  we  will  furnish  some  little  folders  —  "You  can  Buy  Per- 
fect Comfort"  —  attractive  little  die  cut  folders  that  a  |  woman  will 
notice  and  see,  and  they  tell  her  something  definite  about  what  com- 
fort she  will  get  out  of  the  |  Nesco  Perfect  Oil  Heater.  Then  there 
are  newspaper  electrotypes  which  we  will  furnish  you.^ 

Look  over  the  inclosures  and  write  |  us.^ 

You  are  going  to  sell  more  Nesco  Perfect  Oil  Heaters  this  year 
if  you  let  us  help  you  in  |  this  way,  and  if  you  will  do  your  share.* 

Can  we  get  together?  ^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (156) 

1  Predicament  and  remedy     2  Offer  of  "dealer  helps"     3  Asks  action     4  Pictures  results 
5  Appeals  to  co-operation 

29 

Mr.  E.  G.  Walton, 

982  Wilson  Avenue, 

Bayonne,  New  Jersey. 
Dear  Sir: 

Last  year  we  had  the  pleasure  of  sending  you  free  newspaper 
electrotypes  on  the  subject  of  electric  washers.  | 

According  to  our  records  you  are  still  selling  G.-E.  goods  and 


210  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

are  receiving  our  monthly  publication,  the  "Electrical  Advertiser."  | 
You  have  not,  however,  availed  yourself  of  our  service  this  year.^ 

If  this  is  through  any  fault  of  ours  we  |  would  appreciate  your 
writing  us  frankly,  in  order  that  we  may  adjust  the  difficulty .^  If 
not,  kindly  let  us  know  |  whether  you  desire  to  remain  on  our  hst.^ 

We  have  made  up  some  particularly  attractive  cuts  this  year 
on  the  I  subject  mentioned  above  and  feel  sure  that  you  can  use  some 
of  these  to  advantage.  Won't  you  make  out  a  |  list  of  your  require- 
ments on  the  back  of  this  letter,  or  let  us  know  why  you  do  not  care 
to  I  avail  yourself  of  our  services  further?  If  you  wish  an  extra  copy 
of  our  issue  featuring  the  material  of  special  |  interest  to  you,  we 
shall  be  glad  to  supply  you.^ 

We  await  with  interest  your  early  reply. 

Cordially  yours, 

P.  S.  I  —  For  your  convenience  the  reverse  side  of  this  sheet 
has  been  prepared  for  your  reply.     (196) 

1  Simple  statements  of  fact;    imply  desire  to  serve     2  Offers  adjustment     3  If  dealer  is 
not  interested,  they  will  discontinue  writing     4  Urges  favorable  action 

30 

Mr.  Fred  Hinds, 

Hyndman  &  Park, 

Reading,  Pennsylvania. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  are  sending  you  herewith  galley  proofs  of  a  little  book  en- 
titled "Clothing  Selling  Hints"  which  we  have  |  prepared,  to  give 
your  salesmen  some  inside  pointers  in  selling.^ 

This  is  not  intended  as  a  sales  manual,  or  an  |  attempt  to  tell 
your  salesmen  how  to  make  sales.  All  we  can  hope  this  little  book 
will  be  is  a  I  primer  of  hints.-  If  it  will- help  your  salesmen,  it  will  have 
served  its  purpose. 

Our  object  in  sending  you  |  these  advance  proofs  is  to  ask  you 
to  read  this  and  give  us  your  opinion  of  it.  Let  us  know  |  whether 
you  do  not  believe  it  will  add  to  the  selling  efficiency  of  your  salesmen.^ 

The  plan  we  have  in  |  mind  is  to  get  this  book  out  in  a  handy 
size  —  about  i  of  an  inch  thick,  4^  1  inches  wide  and  7^  inches  high  — 
to  fit  the  pocket. 

We  will  print  your  salesmen's  |  names  on  the  front  cover  if  you 
will  give  us  a  list  of  their  names.  We  inclose  a  blank  for  |  your  con- 
venience.^ 

We  have  had  some  prominent  clothing  men  read  over  the  manu- 


LETTERS  TO  DEALERS  211 

script  of  this  proposed  book,  and  they  have  |  passed  upon  it  very 
favorably.  It  was  impracticable  to  send  you  the  manuscript,  so  we 
are  sending  you  these  advance  |  proofs.  We  will  greatly  appreciate 
your  candid  expression,  together  with  the  names  of  your  salesmen. 
May  we  have  both  at  |  your  early  convenience;*  ^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (246) 

1  Inclosure  and  its  purpose  2  Removes  possible  objections  3  Asks  opinion;  this  enlists 
dealer's  co-operation  and  arouses  pride  4  Explains  plan  5  Skillfully  suggests  favorable 
action 

31 

Mr.  Leon  Rrown, 

273  Hanover  Street, 

Springfield,  Illinois. 
Dear  Sir: 

A  week  or  so  ago,  Air.  Brown,  I  sat  talking  to  a  steam  fitter,  down 
Philadelphia  way,  when  |  his  'phone  started  ringing  merrily.^ 

After  answering  it,  he  turned  around  smilingly  and  said,  "You 
folks  certainly  knew  what  you  |  were  doing  when  you  sent  me  that 
Business  Booster  Book.  What  do  you  think  that  'phone  call  was.^ 
You  know^  I  that  job  we  have  for  Morris  up  on  Front  Street?  AA  ell, 
we  had  one  of  those  Burnham  banners  you  sent  |  us,  tied  up  on  the 
front  of  the  house,  saying  we  were  installing  the  heating  there.  This 
fellow  saw  it  |  and  now  he  wants  me  to  come  up  and  figure  a  job  for 
him."  2 

From  that  Burnham  Boiler  Business  Booster  |  Book,  the  same 
as  we  sent  you,^  this  fitter,  Mr.  Brown,  was  among  the  first  to  order 
a  banner,  along  |  with  four  lantern  shdes. 

In  sending  in  his  order  blank  for  them,  he  wrote  on  the  back, 
"If  you  people  |  are  wiUing  to  furnish  these  things  to  us  fellows  en- 
tirely free,  it  looks  as  if  we  are  mighty  slow  if  |  we  do  not  do  our  part 
and  use  them."  ^ 

And  now,  how  about  your  case.^  =  Ten  chances  to  one.  there 
are  |  opportunities  to  figure,  getting  away  from  you,  that  might  just 
as  well  be  yours,  if  you  would  do  something  to  |  let  people  know  you 
are  doing  something.  We  have  hberally  done  our  part  to  help  you. 
Why  don't  you  |  do  yours? 

—  Shall  we  send  you  a  banner? 

—  Some  Slides? 

—  Or  some  Ads  for  your  newspaper? 

In  ordering,  kindly  use  |  the  order  blanks  in  back  of  the  Booster 


212  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

Book.    If  you  have  mislaid  the  Book,  let  us  know  and  we  |  will  gladly 
send  you  another.     (284) 

1  Word  picture  arouses  interest     2  Shows  benefit  of  "dealer  helps"     3  Suggests  applica- 
tion to  reader     4  Implies  reproach  for  failure  to  act     5  Applies  the  illustration  to  reader 


32 

Mr.  Leon  Brown, 

120  Boylston  Street, 

Boston,  Massachusetts. 
Dear  Sir: 

Your  selling  problem,  Mr.  Brown,  being  similar  to  ours,^  I  know 
you  will  be  interested  in  the  rest  |  of  this  letter.     What  we  are  going 
to  talk  with  you  about,  starts  way  back  in  the  nineties  and  comes  | 
right  up  to  here  and  now. 

One  morning  seventeen  years  ago,  I  found  on  my  desk  a  letter 
from  Japan.  |  It  asked  for  information  and  prices  on  Burnham  Boilers. 
Of  course,  we  sent  them;  but  did  not  really  expect  much  |  to  happen. 
Six  weeks  passed  and  along  came  a  nice,  cosy  order;  and  we  have  been 
sending  boilers  to  Japan  |  ever  since. 

So  much  for  instance  Number  One. 

Now  for  Number  Two. 

One  hot  summer  afternoon,  there  walked  into  our  |  office  a  man 
from  Holland.  He  could  not  talk  English,  so  a  friend  he  had  along, 
did  it  for  him.  |  He  was  in  this  country  investigating  boilers,  and 
wanted  to  see  ours  and  the  way  we  made  them. 

Every  year,  |  since  that  day,  we  have  been  sending  Burnham? 
to  Holland.2 

Both  the  Japanese  and  the  Hollanders  saw  our  advertisement 
in  I  one  of  the  American  trade  papers,  which  they  take  to  keep  up 
with  things. 

If  these  men,  thousands  of  miles  |  away,  will  buy  Burnhams 
through  advertisements,  isn't  it  reasonable  that  people  right  in  your 
own  town  will  do  the  |  same,  provided  you  advertise  to  them  in  an 
interesting,  attractive  way?  ^ 

Two  or  three  weeks  ago,  we  sent  you  one  |  of  our  Burnham  Boiler 
Business  Booster  Books,  containing  reproductions  of  advertisements, 
lantern  slides  and  banner;  any  or  all  of  which  |  we  offered  to  send 
you  entirely  at  our  expense.^ 

This  morning,  I  was  looking  over  the  long  list  of  dealers  |  who 


LETTERS  TO  DEALERS  213 

had  sent  in  their  requests  for  them,  and  was  rather  surprised  not  to 
find  your  name  among  the  number.^  | 

If  it  pays  these  other  dealers  to  advertise,  it  will  pay  you.  Why 
don't  you  himt  up  that  Booster  |  Book,  and  select  some  Ads,  or  slides, 
and  send  us  an  order  for  them? 

Use  them  the  way  we  suggest  |  and  you  will  find  them  digging 
up  business  where  you  never  imagined  it  could  be  dug.^ 

Truly  yours,     (357) 

1  Arouses  interest     2  Instances  given     3  Conclusion  drawn     4  Simple  statement  of  fact 
5  Implies  reproach  for  failure  to  act     6  Urges  action  and  shows  results 


33 

The  Fuller  Garage  Co., 

1890  Grand  Avenue, 

Worcester,  Massachusetts. 
Gentlemen : 

We  think  it  worth  while  to  send  you  a  personally  dictated  letter, 
not  a  form,^  because  we  understand  that  |  you  might  consider  adding 
a  popular  priced  truck  to  your  present  fine  of  cars.  If  this  is  correct, 
may  we  j  call  your  attention  to  the  FULTON  one-and-a-half  ton 
chassis,  which  fists  at  $1090.- 

We  I  are  building  just  one  model  —  at  a  price  several  hundred 
dollars  lower  than  any  other  truck  of  fike  quafity  and  |  capacity, 
and  we  have  estabfished  this  price  by  standardizing,  buying  and 
building  in  quantity.^ 

Our  Company  is  amply  financed.  Our  |  factory  buildings  are 
single  story,  and  constructed  for  production  efficiency.  Our  schedule 
calls  for  2500  chassis  for  this  |  year,  and  we  are  increasing  it  in  order 
to  turn  out  our  full  quota  of  5000  chassis  for  1918.^  | 

We  are  offering  you,  first,  a  truck  with  selHng  resistance  reduced 
to  a  minimum,  and  second,  a  truck  on  |  which  you  can  get  defivery.^ 
We  are  frank  when  we  say  that  we  would  fike  to  have  you  take  on  | 
this  truck.    Some  one  in  Seattle  is  going  to  handle  it  within  a  month.^ 
Is  there  any  reason  why  we  |  cannot  get  together.^ 

We  await  the  pleasure  of  your  reply. 

Yours  very  truly,     (213) 

1  This  sometimes  appeals   to  readers  prejudiced   against   printed  or   multigraphed  letters 

2  Subject,  offer  of  agency     3     Standardization  produces  low  price     4  Company  is  reliable 
5  Summarizes  arguments;    shows  what  they  mean  to  the  dealer     6  Suggests  prompt  action 


214  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 


Style  V.  — PERSONAL   STYLE  ADDRESS 


November 
Third 
Nineteen 
Eighteen 


Dear  Ur.  Adeas: 

In  my  judgment,  the  succees  of  the  campaign 
'or  the  Fourth  Liberty  Loan  in  thie  city  haa  been  due 
in  large  part  to  the  unsparing  efforts  of  the  comiidttee 
of  which  you  are  chairaan. 

In  a  ser/ice  where  everyone  has  put  forth 
the  best  that  was  in  him,  it  is  not  fitting  to  compare 
one  group  of  workers  with  another,  and  I  do  not  mean 
to  do  so;  but  in  my  position  I  have  had  special  cause 
to  appreciate  the  spirit  and  enterprise  of  your  com- 
mittee, and  it  is  a  genuine  pleasure  to  say  so. 

Faithfully  yours, 


it  K  ?eiZ^ 


Ur.   0.   P.   Adams, 

231  North  Hancock  Street; 

Uilwaukee,  Vr'isconsin. 


BOOKS  AND   MAGAZINES  215 

34 
The  M.  C.  D.  Garage, 

290  Sheridan  Avenue, 
M  aterloo,  Iowa. 
Gentlemen : 

You  will  be  interested  in  learning  that  the  Willys-Overland  Com- 
pany will  in  all  probability  adopt  Pierce  Governors  as  |  standard  on 
their  various  models  of  trucks  and  dehvery  cars.^ 

In  fact,  their  Chief  Engineer,  Mr.  McKinley,  has  already 
O.  I  K.'d  installations  on  practically  all  models,  and  is  now  doing 
the  final  testing. 

This  means  that  owners  of  Overland  cars  j  now  in  service  will 
immediately  want  to  avail  themselves  of  the  protection  that  Pierce 
Governors  will  afford  them,  by  ehminating  |  all  possibihty  of  fast 
driving.- 

As  a  distributor  of  Overland  cars,  this  is  your  opportunity  to 
add  a  comfortable  sum  |  to  the  profit  side  of  your  ledger.^  The  in- 
closed folder  briefly  explains  the  features  and  operation  of  Pierce 
Governors,  but  |  you  really  should  possess  a  copy  of  our  book  "Speed 
Control,"  in  order  that  you  may  be  prepared  inteUigently  to  |  handle 
the  inquiries  you  will  receive.  We  wdll  gladly  send  this  book  gratis 
and  quote  prices  on  the  various  Pierce  |  -Overland  Governor  installa- 
tions, upon  request.^ 

Your  reply  is  being  awaited  with  much  interest. 

Yours  very  truly,      (178) 

1  Announces  news  item     2  What  tliis  means  to  users     3  What  it  means  to  dealers     4  Asks 
action 

BOOKS  AND  MAGAZINES 

Interesting  descriptions  that  awaken  desire,  offers  to 
send  books  on  approval,  and  special  reminders  and  induce- 
ments for  the  renewal  of  magazine  subscriptions,  charac- 
terize these  letters. 

1 
Professor  C.  IVI.  Earle, 

University  of  \Msconsin, 
]\Iadison,  Wisconsin. 
Dear  Sir: 

It  has  occurred  to  me  that  you,  having  heard  E.  St.  Elmo  Lewis 
speak  at  the  Wisconsin  Commercial  |  and  Industrial  Congress,^  might 


216  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

like  to  look  over  his  notable  business  book  —  "Getting  the  Most  Out 
of  Rusiness." 

In  this  I  book,  which  contains  the  conclusions  from  years  of 
careful  study  of  different  business  policies,  he  points  out  what  certain 
principles  |  of  organization  and  management  can  accomplish  for 
men  keen  enough  to  apply  them  intelligently.- 

You  can  learn  more  from  carefully  j  studying  this  book,  than 
experience  can  teach  you  in  years,  simply  because  it  does  not  spin 
theories,  it  presents  facts.  |  It  spurs  you  to  buck  up  for  larger  suc- 
cesses and  it  shows  you  the  way.  You  may  be  sure  that  |  it  will  prove 
a  real  business  tonic  to  you.^ 

The  inclosed  circular  will  give  you  a  very  good  idea  of  |  what 
the  book  contains  and  what  big  business  men  think  of  it.^ 

It  is  not  necessary  to  write  a  letter  |  to  secure  this  book;  just 
write  on  the  margin  of  this  letter,  "Send  book,"  sign  your  name  and 
return  it  |  to  us.     I  wiU  see  that  a  copy  is  sent  to  you.^ 

You  can  keep  the  book  for  five  days  |  and  if  you  do  not  find  it 
worth  many  times  the  price,  return  it.    Otherwise  send  us  the  $2.50  | 
it  costs.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (229) 

1  Special     point     of     contact    2  Contents     3  Effect     4  Introduces     circular;      testimony 
5  Easy  action     6  Trial  offer 


*       2 

Dear  Friends: 

No  longer  need  you  be  embarrassed  when  one  of  your  friends 
asks  you  the  name  of  some  attractive  j  garden  flower;  it  is  possible  to 
know  them  all  through  a  most  imusual  set  of  garden  guides.^  It  is 
the  I  Pocket  Garden  Library,  the  most  authoritative  series  of  garden 
books  that  has  ever  been  pubhshed.- 

This  set  has  been  in  |  preparation  for  over  a  year.  There  are 
more  than  800  superb  illustrations  of  every  cultivated  flower  found 
in  the  |  American  gardens  reproduced  in  their  natural  colors.  There 
were  fourteen  of  the  best  known  flower  artists  at  work  on  the  |  color 
iUustrations  at  one  time,  and  each  iUustration  has  been  verified  by 
experts  so  that  the  results  would  be  true  |  to  fife.  There  are  more 
than  800  pages  of  descriptions,  and  that  the  text  might  be  exact,  the 
experts  |  of  the  New  York  Rotanical  Gardens  and  the  Rrooklyn  Rotani- 
cal  Gardens  were  called  upon  to  verify  them.^    The  Pocket  Garden  | 


BOOKS  AND   MAGAZINES  217 

Library  is  complete  in  four  handsome  volumes,  one  each  for  Spring, 
Summer,  Fall  and  Winter.  They  are  issued  in  pocket  |  size,  and  are 
in  a  most  attractive  dark  green  binding  with  cover  decorations  in 
gold.^ 

You  need  no  longer  guess  |  at  the  names  of  the  flowers  you  do 
not  know;  they  are  classified  according  to  the  seasons  in  which  they  | 
bloom  and  are  carefully  indexed  that  you  may  identify  any  flower 
immediately.  They  show  you  how  to  plan  your  garden  |  intelligently, 
how  to  grow  the  flowers,  how  to  choose  them  —  how  the  rare  ones 
should  be  planted,  etc.,  etc.  |  These  volumes  will  be  of  special  interest 
to  children.  They  will  gain  a  knowledge  of  a  wonderful  subject  that  | 
will  be  of  value  all  their  lives.^ 

These  httle  volumes  are  so  attractively  bound,  the  illustrations 
are  so  beautiful,  and  |  the  subjects  are  treated  so  interestingly,  that 
you  will  immediately  fall  in  love  with  them.  We  want  you  to  see  | 
them.  If  you  will  sign  and  return  the  inclosed  post  card,  we  will  send 
them  to  you  for  ten  days.  |  If,  after  examination,  you  decide  to 
keep  them,  you  may  remit  to  us  in  small  monthly  installments  or 
in  a  I  small  cash  payment.  You  must  act  NOW,  as  the  edition  is 
limited.     Simply  sign  and  return  the  card  at  once.^ 

\  ery  truly  yours,      (383) 

1  Predicament  and  remedy  2  Subject  3  Authoritative  quality  4  Description  5  Uses 
6  Urges  action  and  removes  objections 


Professor  J.  P.  Fra\Ties, 

University  of  Chicago, 
Chicago,  Illinois. 
Dear  Professor  Fraynes: 

Dr.  Charles  W.  Ehot,  forty  years  President  of  Harvard  Uni- 
versity, has  put  his  advice  on  Books  and  |  Reading  into  a  chatty, 
thoughtful  booklet  describing  his  Five  Foot  Shelf  of  Books. ^ 

The  booklet  is  not  merely  a  catalogue  |  of  titles  and  authors, 
but  a  most  interesting  resume  containing  Dr.  Eliot's  best  thought  on 
how  and  what  a  busy  |  person  should  read.-  We  are  distributing  it 
free  by  mail  to  make  the  Five  Foot  Shelf  of  Books  better  known. ^  | 

Please  indicate  on  the  stamped  card  the  address  to  which  you 
would  like  the  booklet  sent,  whether  to  your  home  |  or  office.*    You 


218  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

may  accept  it  with  our  compliments  and  with  no  obligation  what- 
soever. 

Very  truly  yours, 

We   suggest   you  |  note   particularly   that   page   of  the   booklet 
which  is  headed  "Fifteen  Minutes  a  Day  with  Dr.  Ehot."  '"     (137 ) 

1  Introduces  booklet    2  Contents    3  Purpose    4  Avoids  wasting  booklets  on  uninterested 
persons     5  Induces  reader  to  open  booklet 


4 

Mr.  H.  E.  McCumber, 

125  Winnebago  Street, 
Lima,  Ohio. 
Dear  Sir: 

What  a  privilege  to  see  history  in  the  making,  to  possess  as 
priceless  souvenirs  the  precious  mementos  of  |  the  most  eventful 
episodes  in  the  history  of  the  world  in  the  incomparably  soft  tones  of 
rotogravure!  ^ 

We  offer  you  |  the  ONLY  24-page  rotogravure  illustrated  pub- 
lication of  current  events  ISSUED  IN  THE  WORLD,  presenting 
each  week  what  is  |  most  historic,  most  beautiful,  most  thriUing,  and 
most  interesting  on  sea  and  land  in  Europe,  Asia,  Africa,  and  America.^ 

THE  I  MID-WEEK  PICTORIAL  is  issued  every  Thursday  by 
The  New  York  Times.  It  is  not  part  of  the  newspaper,  but  |  an  auxil- 
iary. Each  of  the  twenty-four  pages  is  a  work  of  art  and  every  page 
is  framable.^ 

We  mail  |  this  publication  weekly  for  the  entire  year,  postage 
prepaid,  to  £uiy  address  in  the  United  States,  on  receipt  of  $5.00.^  | 

Or,  as  an  introductory  offer,  on  receipt  of  $1.00  we  will  send 
you  the  periodical  for  three  months,  feehng  |  sure  that  you  wiU  be 
happy  thereafter  to  continue  indefinitely.^ 

We  await  with  interest  your  early  reply. 

Very  truly  yours,  | 

P.  S.  If  you  are  a  subscriber,  this  letter  reaches  you  through 
inadvertence;  in  that  case  will  you  favor  us  |  by  handing  it  to  some 
acquaintance!^     (206) 

1  Arouses  desire     2  Contents    3  Further  explanation     4  Price     5  Special  offer 


BOOKS  AND   IMAGAZINES  219 

5 

Mr.  E.  F.  Jaeger, 

852  Booth  Street, 

Salt  Lake  City,  Utah. 
Dear  Sir: 

As  your  subscription  to  PRINTERS'  INK  expires  on  September  13, 
you  have  only  three  more  issues  coming  to  |  you.^ 

For  your  convenience  and  in  order  that  you  may  not  miss  any 
copies,  we  have  taken  the  liberty  of  |  filling  in  your  name  on  the  in- 
closed renewal  order  card.- 

Simply  signify  whether  you  wish  yoiu*  subscription  extended  for 
one  I  or  three  years,  and  mail  the  postal.  PRINTERS'  INK  will 
then  continue  to  reach  you  without  interruption.  Bill  will  be  |  ren- 
dered in  due  course.^ 

Thank  you!  * 

Yom-s  very  truly,     (89) 

1  Notification    2  Inclosure    3  Easy  action    4  Assumes  action 

6 

Dear  Sir: 

Miss  Nixon  has  just  given  me  your  name  ^  as  one  whose  subscrip- 
tion to  THE  GARDEN  MAGAZINE  has  not  |  been  renewed.  She 
is  anxious  about  it  at  this  time  because  the  stock  of  the  Annual  Novelty 
Review  —  the  March  |  number  —  is  almost  exhausted.^ 

As  you  wiU  need  THE  GARDEN  MAGAZINE  during  the  next 
few  months,  I  have  -asked  Miss  |  Nixon  to  set  aside  a  copy  of  the 
March  nmnber  for  you.  We  will  hold  this  for  a  week  to  |  give  you 
time  to  return  the  inclosed  Renewal  Blank,  which  we  are  sending 
along  for  your  convenience.^ 

There  are  several  |  new  features  in  THE  GARDEN  MAGAZINE 
for  ]\Iarch.  One  is  the  "Novelty  Re\iew."  Everything  that  is  new 
in  seeds,  plants,  |  shrubs,  etc.  is  illustrated  emd  described.  This  March 
number,  by  the  way,  is  the  biggest  number  of  THE  GARDEN  |  MAGA- 
ZINE we  have  ever  pubhshed.^ 

In  April  comes  the  regular  Planting  Manual.     I  am  sure  your 
not  renewing  is  only  |  an  oversight,  and  as  we  will  undoubtedly  have 
orders  that  will  exhaust  the  small  number  of  copies  we  have  in  | 
stock,  we  trust  you  will  return  the  renewal  card  promptly. 

Cordially  yours,     (192) 

1  Arouses  interest     2  Suggests  prompt  action     3  Time  limit     4  Awakens  desire 


220  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

7 

Mr.  B.  D.  Lowell, 

709  Anton  Street, 

Burlington,  Vermont. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  want  to  gamble  with  you.^  Congress  is  discussing  zone 
rates  for  publications.  The  postage  on  The  Nation  |  may  cost  us 
thousands  of  dollars  more  in  the  next  twelve  months  than  in  a  pre%d- 
ous  similar  period.  The  paper  |  mills  have  increased  their  prices. 
Everything  is  going  up  and  it  may  be  necessary  to  increase  the  sub- 
scription price  of  |  The  Nation  —  but  we  hope  not.^ 

Before  any  such  thing  is  forced  upon  us,  we  want  to  increase 
our  circle  |  of  readers.^  You  know  as  well  as  we  do,  that  it  requires 
a  certain  mental  equipment  to  read  and  enjoy  |  The  Nation  every 
week.  You  know  better  than  we  who  among  your  friends  will  make 
good  Nation  readers.* 

For  your  |  help  in  extending  the  circulation  of  The  Nation,  the 
offer  is  made  that  for  $5.00  we  will  renew  your  |  own  subscription 
for  one  year  in  advance  of  the  present  expiration  date  and  send  The 
Nation  for  one  year  to  |  a  new  subscriber.  Of  course  we  cannot  accept 
two  renewals  or  a  two  years'  subscription  for  $5.00  because  this  |  offer 
contemplates  a  reward  to  the  regular  subscriber  for  securing  a  new 
subscriber.^ 

All  that  you  need  to  do  is  |  to  send  us  $5.00  and  this  letter  and 
put  in  the  postscript  the  name  of  the  new  subscriber  who  |  is  to  receive 
The  Nation  for  one  year.^ 

Yours  very  truly, 

P.  S.  Insert  here  the  name  and  address  of  |  the  new  sub- 
scriber:     (243) 

1  Arouses    curiosity    2  Situation    explained    3  Subject    4  Appeals   to    pride    5  Explains 
offer     6  Makes  action  easy 

8 

Mr.  Pierce  Smith, 

4018  North  Mason  Avenue, 
Elizabeth,  New  Jersey. 

Dear  Sir: 

The  fight  for  Truth  in  Advertising  develops  big  men.^ 

The  Tribune  has  one  of  them  —  Samuel  Hopkins  Adams.  |  It 

is  getting  another  —  Richard  H.  Lee,  Special  Attorney  to  the  Vigi- 


REAL  ESTATE  221 

lance    Committee  of     the     Associated    Advertising    Clubs    of    the  | 
World.2 

War-time  prosperity  brought  a  lot  of  potential  Wallingfords  out 
of  their  caves.  Mr.  Lee  has  been  busily  engaged  |  in  clubbing  them 
back  in,  as  the  record  on  the  next  two  pages  shows  very  clearly.^ 

Richard  H.  Lee  comes  |  to  The  New  York  Tribune  September  1. 
We  Uke  him.  We  like  the  things  he  has  done.  We  like  the  |  things 
we  know  he  will  do  on  The  Tribune.    And  you  will  too !  * 

The  field  of  Truth  in  Advertising  is  |  broad.  Adams  and  Lee 
have  covered  considerable  of  it.  They  are  going  over  the  rest  together. 
Watch  their  progress  in  |  The  Tribune.^ 

Cordially,  (143) 

1  Generalization    2  Illustration    3  Proof;    induces  reader  to  turn  page     4  Announcement 
6  Arouses  desire  to  subscribe 


REAL  ESTATE 

The  object  of  the  letters  here  presented  is  to  arouse 
desire,  to  show  the  ease  with  which  purchase  may  be  made, 
and  to  picture  the  satisfaction  that  will  result  from 
ownership. 

1 

Mr.  B.  D.  Camden, 

413  Wisconsin  Street, 
Columbus,  Ohio. 
Dear  Sir: 

Every  prospective  home  owner  will  be  interested  in  the  remark- 
able plan  briefly  outlined  in  the  inclosed  pamphlet.^ 

It  I  is  a  "Garden"  plan  because  it  permits  you  to  plant  your 
own  ground  to  garden,  shrubs  and  fruit  trees,  and  j  thus  not  only 
helps  to  pay  for  it,  but  permits  you  to  make  it  beautiful  for  your  own 
home.  2 

It  I  is  a  "Home"  plan  because  the  moment  you  make  your  first 
small  payment  you  have  settled  the  home  problem.  The  |  plan  in- 
cludes the  building  and  financing  of  your  house.  You  choose  the  time 
when  you  move  into  your  finished  house. ^  | 

It  is  a  "Savings"  plan  because  when  you  have  your  lot  paid  for 


222  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

you  may  have  your  choice  of  the  |  cash  or  the  lot.  Assuming  that 
you  purchase  an  $800  lot,  you  may  either  take  the  $800  |  in  cash 
when  your  contract  is  complete,  or  you  may  take  the  lot  and  start 
building  your  house  for  j  which  we  provide  the  money.^ 

Inasmuch  as  you  are  undoubtedly  interested  in  either  a  garden, 
a  home,  or  a  savings  |  investment,  or  possibly  all  of  them,  may  we 
ask  you  to  read  the  inclosed  pamphlet?  Then  if  you  would  hke  |  more 
detailed  information  as  to  the  plan  itself,  or  if  you  wish  to  know  whether 
lots  in  the  neighborhood  in  |  which  you  are  interested  can  be  pur- 
chased under  the  plan,  or  if  you  care  to  be  convinced  that  in  spite  | 
of  the  terms  offered  lots  can  be  had  at  an  unusuaUy  low  price,  you 
need  only  sign  and  mail  the  |  inclosed  stamped  postal  card.  It  will 
bring  you  all  the  information  you  desire  without  placing  you  under 
any  obligation.^ 

A  I  number  of  people  have  bought  the  lot  next  to  their  home, 
using  our  plan.     Perhaps  this  will  interest  you.^ 

Yours  I  very  truly,     (302) 

1  Introduces    booklet    2  First    point    3  Second    point    4  Third    point    5  Urges,  action 
6  Appeals  to  those  who  have  already  built 


2 

Mr.  L.  T.  Lyons, 

49  Canyon  Road, 

Berkeley,  CaHfornia. 
Dear  Sir: 

If  you  could  buy  an  acre  within  twenty-five  minutes'  walk  of 
the  University,  accessible  to  car  line  |  or  automobile,  for  $1750  or 
$2000  —  $100  or  more  cash  and  $20.00  |  or  less  a  month,  would 
you  do  it.^^  ^ 

This  is  a  villa  site  that  we  are  putting  on  and  |  doing  all  in  our 
power  to  sell  to  University  people.  We  have  already  sold  to  ten, 
including  Dr.  David  P.  |  Smith.^ 

If  you  are  interested,  call  at  this  office  or  ring  us  up  at  Berkeley 
4280,  and  |  the  writer  will  call  and  take  you  out  to  the  property .^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (114) 

1  Subject    2  Explanation  and  testimonial    3  Asks  action 


REAL  ESTATE  223 

3 

Mr.  D.  O.  Berry, 

401  Main  Street, 

Hollywood,  Michigan. 
Dear  Sir: 

Sometime  since  we  wrote  you  about  Highlands.  We  regret  to 
note  we  have  not  heard  from  you.^  |  We  have  no  disposition  to  trouble 
you  if  you  are  not  interested,  nor  do  we  wish  to  neglect  you  if  |  you 
are  interested  in  tlie  suburban  country  life  -  and  the  wonderful  environ- 
mental attractions  ^  which  Highlands  presents  as  a  residence  com- 
munity. I  If  you  have  not  seen  Highlands  you  cannot  imagine  the 
charm  of  the  landscapes  and  the  waterscapes,  many  square  miles  | 
of  them,  which  you  buy  when  you  buy  your  acres. 

Highlands  is  in  a  class  by  itself,  and  is  for  |  those  who  cherish 
the  freedom  of  spacious  grounds,  commanding  views,'*  and  the  ad- 
vantages of  country  hving  with  none  of  its  |  disadvantages.  High- 
lands is  so  located  and  so  planned  that  these  advantages  wiU  be 
permanent  and  unimpaired  irrespective  of  the  future  |  development  of 
Hollywood.^ 

If  this  appeals  to  you,  let  us  make  an  appointment  to  show  you 
Highlands.  If  it  does  |  not,  tell  us  so,  and  we  shall  not  press  the 
matter  further.^ 

A  reply  wiU  be  appreciated. 

Very  truly  yours,  |       (180) 

1  Follow-up    2  First  point    3  Second  point     4  Develops  sfecond  point     5  Develops  first 
point     6  Asks  action 

4 

]\Ir.  K.  S.  Gross, 

Kingston,  New  York. 
Dear  Sir: 

What  would  you  do  in  a  case  like  this.^  ^ 

A  widow  owns  a  property  —  to  be  exact,  two  |  apartment  houses, 
rented  out  to  families.  A  person  renting  one  of  the  flats  and  paying 
regularly,  suddenly  fell  behind  in  |  his  rent.  Ten  weeks  went  by,  and 
no  money  was  forthcoming.  The  owner  did  not  want  to  turn  the  ten- 
ant I  out,  for  that  would  mean  a  certain  loss,  neither  did  she  want  to 
risk  losing  more  money.     She  came  to  |  us.- 

This  is  what  we  did.^ 

We  not  only  kept  her  tenant,  but  obtained  all  the  money  owing, 


224  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

and    better  |  than    that,     kept    the    good   feehng    between    both    in- 
dividuals.* 

That  kind  of  management  makes  the  renting  of  property  profit- 
able, and  I  that  is  the  kind  of  business  we  do.^ 

Property  renting  is  a  business  with  us.    We  have  studied  it  in  | 
detail.     Our  equipment  and  facilities  are  perfect.    We  take  the  course 
that  will  result  in  greatest  profit  to  each  of  |  our  chents.^ 

Twenty    years    in    business    are    sufficient    recommendation    to 
justify  your  giving  us  a  cheuice  to  prove  out  with  |  you.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (184) 

1  Arouses  curiosity    2  Story  awakens  interest    3  Emphasis     4  Shows  service     5  General 
conclusion     6  Amplifies  conclusion     7  Suggests  action  and  removes  objection 


5 

Dear  Mrs.  Pickett: 

Recently  I  was  asked  "if  the  Lakewood  Bus  was  to  be  the  regu- 
lar means  of  transportation  to  |  Lakewood." 

I  wonder  if  you,  too,  will  be  interested  in  knowing  about  this.^  ^ 

The  Bus  will  be  the  regular  means  |  of  transportation  until  such 
time  as  we  find  something  more  fitting  or  better  adapted  to  the  pur- 
poses of  an  exclusive  j  neighborhood.  When  one  analyzes  the  plan 
under  which  Lakewood  is  being  developed  and  compares  bus  serv- 
ice, which  wiU  be  exclusively  |  for  this  property,  with  the  ordinary 
street  car  service  which,  if  we  had  it,  might  develop  an  undesirable 
element,  we  |  are  led  to  beUeve  that  bus  ser\dce  is  reaUy  the  most 
desirable.2 

Certainly  it  is  dependable.  For  two  years  now  \  we  have  main- 
tained an  uninterrupted  service.  There  has  been  comparatively  no 
variation  in  the  running  time.  Over  55,000  |  people  have  been  carried. 
Experience  has  shown  that  we  can  give  adequate  transportation  sum- 
mer and  winter  by  this  method  beyond  |  the  possibihty  of  a  doubt.' 

Abroad,  the  motor  bus  is  gradually  taking  the  place  of  the  street 
car  for  all  |  kinds  of  service,  city  and  suburban.  London  now  has 
over  3,000  busses  in  operation.  Many  American  cities  are  taking 
it  up."*  Frankly,  for  the  kind  of  people  there  will  be  at  Lakewood, 
this  form  of  transportation  seems  ideal.  It  |  is  dignified  —  private. 
It  takes  but  twenty  minutes  from  the  Square  to  Lakewood.^ 

Of  course  the  present  service  will  be  |  much  improved.  The 
plan  is,  more  busses  —  more  frequent   trips.     A  schedule  for   early  in 


"JOGGING"   LETTERS  225 

the   morning    and    late    at  |  night.    All    of    this    will    come    as    de- 
manded.^ 

So,  after  all,  when  one  compares  it  with  street  car  service  (for  | 
our  purposes),  isn't  it  really  the  best.^  ~' 

In  any  event,  there  will  be    adequate  transportation  to  Lake- 
wood,  always.^ 

Respectfully,  |  (300) 

1  Awcakens     curiosity       2  Desirability       3  Dependability      4  Testimonial      5  Summary 
6  Additional  features     7  Asks  reader's  judgment    8  Assumes  satisfaction 


"JOGGING"  LETTERS 

Letters  of  this  tY9^  inquire,  "Why  haven't  you  bought 
from  us  recently.^"  Sometimes  they  ask,  "Is  there  any 
dissatisfaction  that  has  put  a  stop  to  yoiu*  orders.^"  or  they 
invite  criticism  of  service.  Ahvays  they  assume  that  past 
relations  have  estabUshed  mutual  good  will 

1 

Mrs.  E.  H.  Atkinson, 

Helena,  Montana. 
Dear  Madam: 

About  one  year  ago,  it  was  our  pleasure  to  make  you  a  shipment 
of  our  "  NO  PROTEST  "  Hosiery.^  | 

Of  course  we  should  like  a  duplicate  order,^  but  more  than  this, 
the  writer  feels  a  personal  interest  in  this  |  transaction,  and  wishes  to 
say  that  if  there  were  any  pairs  which  went  wrong  or  proved  defecti\  e, 
we  shall  be  |  glad  to  include  replacements,  free  of  charge.^ 

The  usual  or  customary  returning  of  defective  socks  is  not  neces- 
sary in  this  I  instance.    Just  your  "say  so"  is  sufficient.'* 

Yours  truly,     (89) 

1  Refers  to  past  service    2  Suggests  order    3  Offers  adjustment    4  Makes  action  easy 

IMr.  R.  O.  Stark, 

Camden,  New  Jersey. 
Dear  Sir: 

Recently  we  had  the  pleasure  of  serving  you  in  our  clothing 
department.^ 

Possibly  our  furnishings,  hats  and  shoes  |  escaped  your  notice  ^  — 


226  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

we  are  mighty  proud  of  them,  and  hope  you  will  give  the  inclosed 
folder  a  moment's  attention;  |  then  when  you  come  again  we  shall  be 
glad  to  show  you  how  complete  these  departments  of  ours  are. 

We  I  hope  you  will  find  it  convenient  to  stop  in  soon  again.^ 

Yours  truly,        (73) 

1  Refers  to  past  service     2  Mentions  other  lines     3  Invitation  avoids  insistence 

3 

Mr.  H.  K.  Morris, 

Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania. 
Dear  Sir: 

In  looking  over  our  books  we  find  that  your  watch  has  not  been 
here  for  cleaning  for  twenty-three  |  months.^ 

Every  watch  should  be  cleaned  and  freshly  oiled  as  often  as 
once  in  every  eighteen  months.- 

A  watch  I  is  a  very  delicate  piece  of  machinery  —  the  balance 
wheel  makes  300  beats  or  vibrations  each  minute,  or  18,000  |  beats 
per  hour;  there  is  less  than  one  drop  of  oil  used  in  oiling  it,  and  when 
this  oil  I  is  exposed  to  the  atmosphere  and  necessary  wear  for  a  period 
of  from  twelve  to  eighteen  months,  it  becomes  dry  |  and  hard  and 
commences  to  cut  and  wear  the  pivots  and  steel  parts;  therefore  it 
should  be  cleaned  and  oiled  |  again.^ 

We  hope  you  will  favor  us  with  the  work.^ 

Yours  very  truly,      (133) 

1  Reminds  of  past  service  2  Assertion  3  Detailed  proof;  shows  knowledge  4  Suggests 
action 

4 

]\Ir.  B.  W.  Forbes,  Purchasing  Agent, 

Trenton  Brass  Company, 
Trenton,  New  Jersey. 
Dear  Mr.  Forbes: 

Are  you  not  making  a  big  mistake  ^  by  deferring  the  placing  of 
orders  for  your  requirements  in  |  Valve  Disks  during  the  coming 
months?  I  fear  that  you  are  building  towards  a  serious  situation  for 
all  of  us  j  later  on.  Manufacturing  conditions  both  with  respect  to 
materials  and  help  are  becoming  more  and  more  uncertain,  and  if  you  | 
delay  your  ordering  until  the  last  minute,  I  am  very  much  afraid 
later  on  in  the  summer  we  may  be  |  unable  to  respond  in  the  way  you 
will  need.2 

I  have  no  right  to  be  too  insistent  with  you  upon  |  this  point, 


"JOGGING"   LETTERS  227 

but  at  least  I  wish  again  to  urge  that  you  go  over  your  stocks  right 
now  and  get  |  specifications  into  our  hands  as  soon  as  possible  cover- 
ing your  requirements  during  the  period  of  the  next  four  to  six  | 
months.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     a44) 

I  Boldly  challenges  attention     2  Supports  statement;    assumes  intention  to  buy  sometime 
3  Suggests  specific  action 

5 

Mr.  John  Chalmers, 

24  West  72d  Street, 
New  York  City. 
Dear  Sir: 

I  hope  you  \\i\\  not  think  I  am  encroaching  unduly  upon  your 
time  if  I  call  the  «r=ollowing  matter  |  to  your  attention.^  Has  it  yet 
been  brought  to  your  notice  that  the  price  of  electricity  throughout 
this  Company's  entire  j  territory  is  to  be  reduced  this  morning  from 

II  cents  to  10  cents  per  kilowatt  hour  —  a  drop  of  nearly  |  ten  per 
cent?  2 

Have  you  any  fault  to  find  with  the  Edison  service?  Is  there 
anything  I,  personally,  can  do,  )  or  this  Company  can  do,  to  improve 
our  service  —  to  satisfy  you  better? 

I  would  esteem  it  a  pri\dlege  to  |  hear  your  criticism  on  your 
electric  supply,  or  your  criticism  of  any  representative  of  this  Com- 
pany with  whom  you  come  |  in  contact.^ 

I  am  inclosing  a  stamped  addressed  envelope  for  your  conveni- 
ence. I  earnestly  solicit  an  expression  of  your  A-iews  |  or  suggestions, 
or  any  helpful  advance  to  the  end  that  the  serA'ice  we  render  may,  if 
possible,  be  improved,  or  |  that  your  relations  with  oiu-  employees 
may  be  made  more  pleasant.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (174) 

1  Awakens    curiosity    2  Announces   reduced    price    3  Invites    criticism    4  Makes    action 

easy 

6 

Mr.  Alex  Moore, 

Macon,  Georgia. 
Dear  Sir: 

In  looking  over  our  sales  cards  the  other  day  I  noticed  that  your 
purchases  from  us  were  very  small.  |  The  more  I  looked  at  that  card, 


228  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

the  more  I  wondered  what  I  had  done  that  you   should    buy  practi- 
cally I  nothing  from  us.^ 

Finally  I  decided  I  would  drop  you  a  Hne  and  ask  you  whether 
you  were  willing  to  |  teU  me  personally,  frankly,  just  what  the  trouble 
has  been  and  whether  there  is  something  we  have  not  done  that  |  we 
should  have  done  and  whether  there  is  anything  we  can  do  now  to 
get  you  back  on  our  hst  |  of  regular  customers.  If  we  can,  we  surely 
want  to  do  it.^ 

Won't  you  write  me  personally  on  the  back  |  of  this  letter  and 
teU  me  just  how  you  feel  about  trading  with  us?  Please  use  the  in- 
closed stamped  envelope,  |  as  I  want  your  reply  to  come  to  my  desk 
unopened.^ 

Why  not  send  an  order  with  your  reply?  I  j  wiU  see  that  it  is 
filled  just  right.^ 

Yours  very  truly,      (171) 

1  Descriptive  language  arouses  interest    2  Invites  criticism    3  Specific  request  for  action 
4  Asks  for  order 

7 

Kinnett  &  Son, 

Bloomington,  Pennsylvania. 
Gentlemen : 

Thank  you  for  the  order  given  Mr.  Ross.  We  are  preparing  the 
goods  for  prompt  shipment  and  trust  they  |  will  reach  you  without 
delay.^ 

We  note  that  this  is  the  first  order  you  have  favored  us  with  for 
some  I  time  and  we  are  wondering  why  we  do  not  get  more  of  your 
business.^ 

We  have  splendid  facilities  for  handling  J  your  mail  orders  be- 
tween Mr.  Ross'  visits  and  can,  we  believe,  make  it  of  advantage  to 
you  to  send  such  |  orders  to  us.  They  will  always  receive  my  personal 
attention;  I  will  see  that  they  are  hurried  through  the  house  |  and 
priced  at  the  very  lowest  prices  we  can  make.  You  will  appreciate, 
we  know,  ha\dng  your  orders  filled  promptly  |  and  completely  and 
this  will  be  more  of  an  advantage  to  you  right  now,  as  we  are  getting 
into  the  |  season  when  you  will  actually  need  the  goods  you  are  order- 
ing. Our  stock  is  very  complete  and  we  are  always  |  glad  to  hear 
from  yoii.^ 

If  it  is  not  asking  too  much  of  you,  will  you  not  write  us  in  |  a 
day  or  so  and  let  us  know  just  what  we  must  do  to  get  more  of  your 


FINANCIAL  229 

business?     Be  |  critical,  gentlemen,  because  we  shall  appreciate  your 
candid  opinion.* 

Again  thanking  you  for  this  order,  we  remain 

Yours  truly,     (219) 

1  Acknowledgment     2  A  "jog"     3  Shows  ability  to  serve     4  Invites  criticism 


FINANCIAL 

.  Investment  houses,  insurance  companies,  and  banks,  find 
it  desirable  to  awaken  confidence  through  the  conservative 
tone  of  their  letters.  This  does  not  mean,  however,  that 
such  letters  cannot  adopt  a  friendly  and  personal  style. 
The  last  letter  of  the  group  affords  an  interesting  contrast, 
as  it  evidently  presents  a  speculative  rather  than  an  invest- 
ment opportunity. 

1 
Mr.  Ralph  Hanks, 

112  Raymond  Avenue, 
Canton,  Ohio. 
Dear  Sir: 

May  we  call  your  attention  to  the  inclosed  list  of  our  bond  offer- 
ings, and  bring  before  you  a  |  few  facts  regarding  the  class  of  securities 
which  we  handle.^ 

We  would  ask  you  to  stop  and  think  of  the  |  following  state- 
ments: aU  bonds  offered  for  sale  by  this  Company  are  purchased,  in 
the  first  place,  for  the  investment  of  ]  our  own  funds,  and  you  may 
rest  assured  that  we  have  investigated  thoroughly  before  purchasing 
them  and  offering  them  to  |  the  pubUc.^ 

We  have  been  careful  to  buy  issues  which  should  appeal  to  this 
locality,  having,  as  you  will  note,  |  several  local  issues,  an  issue  of 
short  term  notes  yielding  a  high  rate  of  interest,  a  block  of  railroad 
bonds  I  and  several  other  attractive  offerings.^  All  of  these  we  can 
recommend  as  what  we  beUeve  to  be  absolutely  safe  investments  | 
and  on  a  par  with  the  many  excellent  mortgages  which  we  carry  at 
all  times.^ 

We  solicit  inquiries  regarding  the  |  issues  on  the  inclosed  list 
and  should  be  pleased  to  have  you  call;  the  ser^^ce  of  our  office  and 
benefits  |  of  our  investigations  £ire  at  your  disposal.^ 


230  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

We  are  now  in  a  position  to  act  as  brokers  and  would  act 
promptly  |  and  efficiently  as  your  agent  in  the  buying  or  selling  of 
stocks  and  bonds.^ 

Come  in  and  get  acquainted,  |  —  we  believe  we  can  be  of  serv- 
ice to  you.® 

Yours  very  truly,     (233) 

1  Subject    2  Security    3  Local    appeal     4  Offers    service     5  Further  service     6  Suggests 
easy  action 

2 

Mr.  K.  O.  Aldrich, 

2.22  Beaver  Street, 

Council  Bluffs,  Iowa. 
Dear  Sir: 

Since  forwarding  you,  in  May,  information  and  booklets  descrip- 
tive of  our  various  bond  offerings,  we  have  not  j  heard  from  you,  and 
consequently  are  desirous  of  knowing  whether  our  list  of  bonds  inter- 
ested you,  or  whether  you  desire  |  any  additional  information.^ 

It  is  possible  that  you  are  not  ready  to  invest  at  this  time,  but 
may  desire  to  j  do  so  later  on.  If  this  is  the  case,  we  wish  you  would 
kindly  inform  us  so  that  we  can  j  send  you  additional  offerings  when 
you  are  ready  to  make  your  investments.^ 

We  also  wish  you  would  inform  us  as  |  to  which  of  the  bonds, 
descriptive  circulars  of  which  we  sent  you,  is  best  fitted  for  your  needs.^ 

We  hope  |  you  will  favor  us  with  a  reply  by  means  of  the  inclosed 
self-addressed  envelope.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (138) 

1  Follow-up    2  Seeks  to  avoid  expense  of  useless  letters    3  Seeks  to  discover  customers' 
real  needs     4  Easy  action 

3 

Mr.  Or\ille  Orcutt, 

122  Lancaster  Street, 

McKeesport,  Pennsylvania. 
Dear  Sir: 

This  letter  is  an  appeal  for  your  assistance  in  increasing  the 
efficiency  of  the  service  rendered  you.  I  |  recall  numerous  occasions 
on  which  we  have  not  been  able  to  furnish  the  exact  issue  and  maturi- 
ties desired  by  our  |  chents,  and  to  overcome  this  difficulty  we  need 
your  co-operation.^ 

The  momentous  events  of  the  past  three  years  have  resulted  ] 
in  the  decline  of  many  highly  regarded  securities,  causing  great  losses 


FINANCIAL  231 

to  investors.^  Naturally  this  has  increased  the  demand  for  |  our  securi- 
ties, which  have  never  fluctuated  in  value.  As  they  successfully  met 
the  tests  of  these  war  times,  investors  realize  that  |  these  bonds  can 
never  depreciate.  More  and  more,  attention  is  drawn  to  our  record 
of  thirty-five  years  without  loss  |  to  any  investor,  and  in  the  future 
the  demand  for  our  offerings  may  be  greater  than  we  can  fill.^ 

So  I  I  inclose  a  "  Future  Requirement "  blank  and  stamped  re- 
turn envelope.  If  you  will  be  so  kind,  fill  out  this  blank,  indicating  j 
the  type  of  bond  you  prefer  and  the  maturity,  also  approximately  the 
amount  and  date  of  your  next  investment.* 

This  I  information  will  help  us  to  fill  your  requirements  and  to 
submit  for  your  consideration  the  exact  type  of  security  you  |  prefer. 
Tliis  will  save  you  the  reading  of  a  good  deal  of  correspondence  now 
being  sent  you  when  you  are  |  not  in  the  market,  and  when  you  are, 
it  will  insure  you  absolute  satisfaction  with  your  investments.^ 

No  doubt  you  |  appreciate  the  advantage  of  letting  us  have  this 
information,  and  we  earnestly  sohcit  your  co-operation,  the  result  of 
which  will  I  operate  to  our  mutual  advantage.^ 

Yours  very  truly,      (268) 

1  Shows  desire  to  serve  2  Timely  reference  3  Shows  security  of  investment  4  Asks 
action  5  Shows  advantage  to  customer  6  Repeats  request  for  action.  Letter  has  same 
purpose  as  preceding  letter  * 

4 

To  our  Clients: 

As  you  are  aware,  our  Government  wiU  shortly  offer  for  sale  its 
bonds  to  bear  interest  at  |  3%  or  3|%.^ 

These  bonds  are  sold  for  the  purpose  of  raising  funds  |  with 
which  to  carry  on  the  work  required  of  this  Government  in  its  war 
for  democracy  and  right.^ 

It  behooves  |  every  loyal  American  citizen  to  put  his  shoulder 
to  the  wheel  and  do  his  national  duty.  Some  will  do  it'  |  by  personal 
ser\ice  and  others  will  and  can  do  it  by  assisting  in  the  Government's 
finances.^ 

We  place  at  the  |  disposal  of  the  Government  and  the  public, 
our  services  in  assisting  in  the  subscription  for  the  bonds.* 

Our  services  are  |  rendered  without  charge  either  to  the  Govern- 
ment or  to  the  pubhc.^ 

If  we  can  serve  you,  kindly  inform  us  on  |  the  inclosed  post  card,* 

Yours  very  truly,     (147) 

1  Announcement  2  Object  of  bond  sale  3  Appeal  4  Offers  aid  5  Removes  objection 
to  action    6  Asks  action 


232  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

5 

OUR  JULY   1918   LETTER   TO   CLIENTS 

Why  the  Present  Is  Preeminently  the  Time  for  First  Mortgage 
Real  Estate  Investments  \ 

You  are  in  a  position  as  a  client  of  ours  to  watch  the  notable  trend 
of  the  investing  pubhc  toward  |  the  oldest  safe  investment  —  the  first 
mortgage  bond  —  and  to  see  that  present  conditions  have  only  in- 
creased the  desire  of  |  the  most  conservative  investors  for  securities 
of  this  type.^ 

Our  customers  live  in  every  part  of  the  United  States  and  |  in- 
clude people  in  every  walk  of  Hfe.  Ry  the  extent  of  their  investments 
and  by  the  increase  in  the  number  |  of  our  customers  may  be  judged  the 
need  that  the  people  as  a  whole  feel  for  investments  fitted  for  these  | 
times  —  for  investments  combining  safety  with  an  income  that  is 
satisfactory  now  and  will  remain  so  in  future  —  and  their  |  decision 
as  to  what  constitutes  an  investment  that  fills  their  need.^ 

Our  national  fife  is  founded  on  befief  in  the  |  good  judgment  of 
the  people  as  a  whole,  and  noting  the  growth  of  this  business  year  after 
year,  how  we  |  retain  old  customers  and  the  constant  influx  of  new, 
it  must  be  very  evident  to  you  that  the  American  people  |  —  our  most 
intelligent  classes  in  fact  —  have  put  their  stamp  of  approval  on  First 
Mortgage  6  %  Ronds  Safeguarded  |  under  the  STRAUS  PLAN.^ 

Our  business  and  the  number  of  our  new  customers  have  continu- 
ally grown,  and  adverse  investment  conditions  |  only  seem  to  give 
us  a  larger,  more  loyal  clientele.  From  this  you  may  see  both  the  need 
and  the  |  judgment  of  the  people  and  confirm  your  own  conviction  of 
the  security  of  our  offerings  and  of  the  responsibifity  of  |  this  House 
—  a  conviction  which,  if  consistently  followed,  can  only  result  in  in- 
creased comforts,  prosperity  and  security  for  your  coming  |  years.* 

To  thirty-six  years  without  loss  has  been  added  another  half 
year,  so  that  our  record  now  includes  over  |  a  year  in  which  our  coun- 
try has  been  engaged  in  the  world  war.  Yet  the  stabihty  of  a  single 
STRAUS  I  PLAN  Rond  has  not  been  shaken  nor  a  dollar's  loss  occa- 
sioned to  any  holder  of  securities  purchased  of  us.^ 

There  |  was,  indeed,  never  a  time  when  the  properties  securing 
the  bonds  purchased  of  us  were  in  a  more  prosperous  condition  |  — 
buildings  filled  at  rentals  exceeding  our  estimates  and  industrial  proper- 
ties enjoying  exceptional  business.^ 

The  shortage  of  apartment  and  hotel  room  |  in  New  York  and 


FINANCIAL  233 

Chicago  is  acute.  In  other  of  the  larger  cities  conditions  of  available 
housing,  storage  facihties  and  |  industrial  space  are  practically  the 
same,  and  a  crisis  in  the  shortage  is  inevitable  unless  relief  is  afforded 
by  investors  |  in  securities  such  as  we  offer  that  provide  for  the  erec- 
tion of  buildings  which  are  a  necessity." 

This  is  a  |  most  satisfactory  condition  for  our  customers  whose 
bonds  are  secured  by  such  properties  and  a  profitable  one  for  those 
who  I  have  funds  available  for  investment.^ 

Our  chents  will  therefore  find  the  bonds  of  the  Shortland  Apart- 
ment Building,  Chicago,  Princeton  Apartment  j  Building,  New  York, 
the  Sisson  Hotel,  Chicago,  the  St.  James  Hotel,  Atlantic  City,  and 
the  Hamilton  Apartment  Hotel,  New  York,  |  particularly  attractive, 
as  the  properties  supply  immediate  requirements  and  the  income  from 
them  will  be  constant  and  lasting.  An  investment  |  comprising  all 
of  these  bonds  would  give  you  a  diversification  made  up  of  securities 
of 'great  natural  strength  —  as  they  |  fill  a  primary  need  of  the  people 
—  fortified  by  all  of  the  protections  of  the  STR_\US   PLAN.  .  .  .^ 

For  your  order  |  a  convenient  blank  is  inclosed.  Dehvery  will 
be  made  at  once  on  cash  purchases.  Orders  for  future  delivery  gladly 
received.  |  In  every  case  we  urge  that  reservations  be  made  before  the 
rush  of  July  first. ^° 

Your  instructions  now,  as  at  |  all  times,  will  be  appreciated,  and 
your  investment  will  be  Aigilantly  protected  from  to-day  until  the 
day  of  maturity.  Constant  |  purchases  of  STRAUS  PLAN  Bonds 
mean  lasting  investment  satisfaction.^^ 

Yours  sincerely,     (651) 

1' Appeals  to  reader's  judgment  2  Shows  basis  for  opinion  3  States  opinion  4  Sum- 
marizes and  applies  to  reader's  own  action  5  Security  6  Reason  for  security  7  Reason 
for  prosperity  8  General  conclusion  9  Specific  ofl'er  10  Urges  action  11  Assumes  sat- 
isfaction 

6 

Mr,  Charles  Hulburt, 

4204  Park  Avenue, 

Eau  Claire,  Wisconsin. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  have  been  thinking  about  you  and  have  often  wondered  if 
you  carry  a  bank  account  in  Eau  |  Claire.^     If  you  do  not  we  would 
like  to  have  you  for  our  customer.-    Within  the  next  few  days  you  | 
wiU  receive  from  the  Sugar  Company  a  check  in  part  payment  of 
your  best  crop.    This  check,  no  matter  upon  |  which  bank  drawn,  we 


234  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

want  you  to  deposit  with  us,  and  then  pay  your  accounts  with  your 
own  check  on  |  this  bank.^ 

Even  if  you  expect  to  pay  out  immediately  the  entire  proceeds 
of  tliis  pay  check,  deposit  it  with  us  |  anyway,  for  we  firmly  beUeve 
that  if  you  once  start  doing  your  banking  business  with  us,  you  will 
always  do  j  a  banking  business,  and  will  never  care  to  go  elsewhere 
in  the  future.^  When  we  organized  this  bank,  eighteen  months  |  ago, 
we  did  so  with  the  intention  of  making  it  distinctly  a  farmers'  bank. 
We  still  have  the  same  idea.  |  It  is  the  farmers'  business  we  want. 
It  is  the  farmers'  business  we  are  getting  and  we  are  doing  it  |  with 
the  feehng  on  both  their  part  and  our  part,  that  we  can  take  just  a 
little  better  care  of  |  their  needs  than  anyone  else.^ 

Feehng  confident  of  our  abihty  to  please  you,  we  invite  your 
patronage. 

Respectfully  yours,     (219) 

1  Courteous  introduction    2  Subject    3  Specific  suggestion  for  action    4  Removes  objec- 
tions    5  Class  appeal 

7 

Mr.  W.  G.  Iverson, 

618  Boston  Block, 

Long  Island  City,  New  York. 
Dear   Sir: 

Mr.  R.  C.  Irish,  representing  the  First  National  Bank  of  Brook- 
lyn, of  which  I  am  a  director,  teUs  |  me  that  he  has  called  upon  you 
regarding  the  services  and  facihties  offered  by  that  institution.^ 

Naturally,  I  am  much  |  interested  and  would  be  pleased  to  learn 
that  you  have  decided  to  become  a  depositor  at  the  First  National, 
as  I  I  know  the  connection  would  be  mutually  advantageous  to  you 
and  the  bank.^ 

You  wiU  find  the  officers  and  staff  |  cordial  and  efficient.  The 
institution  is  strong  in  men,  experience  and  financial  resources,  as 
well  as  in  the  fact  that  |  it  is  a  member  bank  of  the  Federal  Reserve 
System,  backed  by  the  National  Government.^ 

Again  let  me  assure  you  |  that  you  would  make  no  mistake  at 
all  in  starting  an  account  at  the  First  National  and,  personally,  I 
am  I  hoping  that  you  will  decide  to  do  so.* 

Cordially  yours,     (150) 

1  Subject    2  Personal   recommendation    3  Summarizes  talking  points    4  Emphasizes  rec- 
ommendation 


FINANCIAL  235 

8 

Mr.  E.  H.  Miller, 

1924  Kendall  Avenue, 
City. 
Dear  Sir: 

FIFTEEN  DOLLARS  and  forty  cents  is  the  priced— of  Mental 
Security  to  you. 

Have  you  given  sufficient  thought  |  to  protecting  your  greatest 
asset  — YOUR  EARNING  CAPACITY.^  Statistics  show  that  you 
have  six  chances  in  seven  of  being  secure.  |  Are  you  prepared  to  meet 
the  SEVENTH   CHANCE?  ^ 

FIFTEEN  DOLLARS  and  forty  cents  paid  once  in  fifty-two 
weeks  assures  |  you  of  a  check  for  $25.00  every  week  if  you  meet  with 
an  ordinary  accident,  $50.00  if  |  you  meet  with  an  accident  in  a  public 
conveyance  or  burning  building,  and  $62.50  if  |  you  meet  with  an  acci- 
dent of  travel.  THIRTY-FIVE  DOLLARS  added  to  the  S15.00 
protects  you  from  illness  to  |  the  amount  of  $25.00  weekly,  $37.50  if 
you  are  confined  to  the  hospital,  |  plus  stipulated  sums  for  certain 
operations,  if  that  is  necessary .^ 

By  returning  the  inclosed  card  you  do  not  pave  the  |  way  for  a 
siege  of  sohcitation.  I  make  but  one  call  and  submit  my  proposition 
in  ten  minutes;  then,  I  |  let  FACTS  influence  your  decision.  If  you 
are  not  interested  you  will  not  be  approached  again. ^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (199) 

1  Arouses  curiosity    2  Predicament    3  Remedy    4  Removes  objections 


9 

Mr.  George  P.  Barr, 

Yonkers,  New  York. 
Dear  Air.  Barr: 

If  you  have  a  moderate  amount  of  money  with  which  you  would 
like  to  make  a  splendid  |  profit,^  I  wish  you  would  write  to  me  as  soon 
as  you  receive  this  letter.-  I  know  this  is  out  |  of  the  usual  fine  of 
investment.  But  a  most  remarkable  opportunity  has  just  developed 
here  in  the  Badium  fields  of  |  southwestern  Colorado  for  making  a 
lot  of  money.^ 

I  won't  bother  to  write  the  details  until  I  hear  from  you.^  |  But 
when  you  do  get  the  whole  interesting  story,  you  will  certainly  agree 


236  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

with  me  that  this  is  for  you,  |  as  it  is  proving  to  be  for  me,  the  great 
opportunity  which  is  said  to  present  itself  once  in  a  |  lifetime." 

Very  truly  yours,     (124) 

1  Appeals  to  money-making  desire     2  Asks  action     3  Subject     4  Arouses  curiosity     5  Per- 
suades to  action 


LETTERS  TO  LARGE  USERS 

Included  in  this  group  are  letters  to  purchasers  of  office 
and  store  equipment,  to  large  builders,  to  engineers,  and 
to  manufacturers.  Some  of  them  are  addressed  to  impor- 
tant officials,  and  consequently  are  concise,  conservative 
in  tone,  and  free  from  urgency  or  persistence. 

1 

J.  T.  Berkeley  Co., 

Burlington,  Vermont. 
Gentlemen : 

We  have  your  letter  of  September  6  and  take  pleasure  in  inclos- 
ing a  circular  descriptive  of  the  Fasterfeed.^ 

The  I  Fasterfeed  is  standard  for  all  typewriters  of  the  general 
construction  of  the  Underwood,  Remington,  L.  C.  Smith,  Royal, 
Monarch,  and  |  Noiseless.  The  typewriter  is  placed  under  the  Faster- 
feed  and  the  blanks  to  be  addressed  are  then  fed  at  the  time  |  the 
typewriter  carriage  is  returned  for  the  writing  of  the  next  piece.  As 
there  is  no  connection  between  the  feeder  |  and  the  typewriter  the 
action  of  the  latter  is  in  no  way  changed. ^ 

The  Fasterfeed  in  your  office  will  save  |  you  money  and  your 
typist  time  and  effort  in  such  work  as  "Filhng-in"  form  letters,  "Head- 
ing-in"  statements.  Addressing  |  envelopes.  Card  work,  etc.  Any 
device  which  saves  is  worthy  of  attention  at  present  when  help  is 
scarce  and  |  wages  high.^ 

The  price  of  the  Fasterfeed  is  $40.00.  This  sum  should  be  con- 
sidered as  £in  investment  paying  |  a  high  rate  of  interest,  not  as  an 
expense.^ 

We  shall  be  glad  to  place  one  of  these  machines  with  |  you  on 
trial  if  you  will  write  giving  us  permission  to  do  so.^ 

We    thank    you    for    your    interest     in  |  the     Fasterfeed     and 


LETTERS  TO   LARGE  USERS  237 


Style  VL  —  HANGING   INDENTION 


^^ea^K^K^?^ 


December  13,  1918 


The  James  Roberts  Company, 
4  John  Street, 
Chicago,  111. 

Attention  of  Mr.  James  Eobertc 

"Gentlemen: 

I  am  glad  to  comply  with  your  request  of  December  11 
for  a  brief  statement  of  our  ejnployment  policy. 

In  applicetlonfi  received  by  mall,  »e  give  first  con- 
sideration to  clear  thinking  as  it  is  evidenced 
by  clear  writing.   Good  English  is  a  first  requis- 
ite for  any  position  demanding  good  mentality 
and  ability  to  advance.   I  need  not  list  the 
other  obviously  necessary  qualifications — such 
as  integrity,  experience,  accuracy,  Judgpient, 
initiative,  and  airbitlon.    How  an  appllcenl 
spends  his  spare  time  is  an  important  point  for 
or  against  him.   Other  things  being  equal,  an 
applicant  who  devotes  part  of  his  tiire  to  ser- 
ious study  is  always  our  first  choice. 

In  Interviews  with  applicants  we  consider  chiefly, 

and  in  this  order,  appearance,  manner,  attitude 
toward  work  and  life,  brains,  and  special  qual- 
ifications. 

As  you  request,  a  copy  of  each  of  our  several  kinds 
of  application  forme  is  enclosed  with  this 
letter.   A  note  attached  to  each  form  indi- 
cates the  circumstancee  in  which  it  ie  used. 

We  hope  these  suggestions  will  be  of  service  to  you 
In  the  organizing  of  your  own  employment  de- 
partment. 

Very  truly  yours. 


RSButlertVA 


238  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

hope   that   we  may   soon   have   the   privilege  of  demonstrating  it  to 
you.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (219) 

1  Subject    2  Explains    new    device    and    removes    objections    3  Saves    money     4  Price 
5  Trial  offer    6  Asks  action 

2 

Dear  Sir: 

At  the  end  of  last  month  you  had  less  money  than  you  expected. 
How  do  you  accoimt  for  |  this?    Where  did  it  go?  ^ 

You  know  how  much  you  are  spending  for  such  things  as  rent, 
taxes,  light,  heat  |  and  clerk  hire.  But  you  do  not  know  how  much 
you  are  losing  through  carelessness,  mistakes,  poor  memory  and 
temptation.-  | 

A  National  Cash  Register  will  keep  track  of  your  money.  You 
will  know  where  your  money  goes.^ 

It  will  enforce  j  correct  records  showing  exactly  how  much  money 
you  take  in  and  how  much  you  pay  out  and  what  it  is  |  for.^ 

At  the  end  of  each  month  you  will  have  all  the  money  that  is 
rightfully  yours.  You  will  get  j  all  your  profits.^  Mail  the  card  now 
and  get  the  details. 

Yours  very  truly,     (134) 

1  Predicament     2  Contrast    3  Remedy    4  Explanation     5  Result 

3 

Dear  Sir: 

You  want  to  make  more  money.  We  can  show  you  how  you  can 
do  it.i 

Our  registers  have  |  been  indorsed  by  more  than  a  million  mer- 
chants. They  have  stood  the  test  of  thirty-three  years  in  businesses 
of  I  all  sorts  and  sizes.- 

An  average  of  11,668  merchants  are  adopting  them  every  month. 
They  |  are  used  in  291  different  kinds  of  stores,  restaurants,  cafes, 
and  offices.  Wherever  they  are  used  they  |  increase  profits,  make 
employees  more  valuable  to  their  employers,  and  attract  trade.^ 

It  will  cost  you  nothing  and  place  you  |  under  no  obhgation 
to  have  us  submit  our  strictly  business  proposition.  You  can  adopt  it 
or  not  as  you  choose.^  |    Mail  the  card  for  more  information. 

Yours  very  truly,     (i^o) 

1  Appeals  to  money-making  instinct    2  Testimonial     3  Testimonial  concluded     4  Removes 
objections 


LETTERS  TO   LARGE  USERS  239 

4 
Dear  Sir: 

Last  month  you  figured  that  you  should  have  made  a  certain 
amount  of  money.  But  when  you  made  |  up  your  balance  you  found 
that  you  had  less  than  you  expected.^ 

Carelessness  is  costing  you  money. 

Poor  memory  is  j  costing  you  money. 

Temptation  may  be  costing  you  money. 

These  things  reduce  your  profits.- 

IVIail  the  inclosed   card  and  we  |  will  explain,   without  cost  to 
you,  how  you  can  stop  the  losses  £md  get  all  the  money  to  which  you  | 
are  en  titled. ^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (85) 

1  Predicament     2  Causes     3  Suggests  remedy 

5 

Mr.  F.  A.  Tobett,  Office  Manager, 

American  Glass  Co., 

Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania. 
Dear  Sir: 

Does  your  fihng  system  ever  go  on  a  strike?  ^ 

Does  it  ever  refuse  to  give  up  instantly  the  |  information  that 
you  know  it  holds?  - 

Unless  your  filing  de\ices  minimize  the  moves  necessary  in  trans- 
acting and  recording  business  they  |  make  you  a  victim  and  not  a 
master  of  details.^ 

Your  valuable  papers  and  records  must  not  only  be  safe,  |  but 
must  be  instantly  available  in  order  to  facihtate  and  accelerate  the 
dispatch    of  business.^ 

Our  cabinets  are  built  for  |  usefulness  and  you  can  select  and 
arrange  a  cabinet  to  suit  your  exact  requirements,  and  not  have  to 
adjust  your  |  requirements  to  suit  the  cabinet.^ 

The  inclosed  card  filled  out  and  mailed  to  us  will  bring  informa- 
tion helpful  to  you.  | 

Yours  very  truly,      (123) 

1  Predicament;     metaphorical     statement      2  Explicit    statement      3  Wrong     conditions 
4  Right  conditions     5  Remedy.     Note  balance  and  contrast  in  this  letter 


240  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION   EXERCISES 

6 

Mr.  W.  Nelson  White, 

Wells  Ruilding, 

Milwaukee,  Wisconsin. 
Dear  Sir: 

As  an  executive  it  goes  without  saying  that  if  two  men  came 
into  your  office,  and  one  could  |  show  you  how  to  reduce  part  of  your 
expenses  — 

—  and  the  other  was  big  enough  man  to  show  you  how  |  to 
•  double  your  business,^  you  would  unquestionably  interview  both.^ 

Within  the  next  ten  days  one  of  our  representatives  will  be  |  in 
your  city.^ 

He  can  positively  show  you  how  to  save  40%  on  your  printing. 

I  will  not  j  say  he  can  positively  show  you  how  to  increase  your 
business,  or  even  reduce  your  selhng  expense,  but  he  can  |  show  you 
some  mighty  good  business  producing  ideas  worked  out  by  other 
Wisconsin  business  houses. 

You  can  return  the  inclosed  |  card  without  obhgation. 

Yours  very  truly,     (124) 

1  Condition     2  Conclusion;    theoretical  case    3  Actual  case;    suggests  interview 

7 

You  and  a  Thousand  Times  You  — 
To  You  —  Of  You  —  For  You: 

Suppose  a  day  had  48  hours  instead  |  of  24  —  and  you  had  four 
hands  instead  of  two  —  and  you  could  be  in  two  places  at  the  |  same 
time  instead  of  one  —  ^ 

You  would  be  a  superman,  wouldn't  you.^  ^ 

But  it  has  not,  and  you  |  have  not,  and  you  cannot! 

There  is  only  one  YOU.  If  you  could  give  a  thousand  men 
YOUR  knowledge  of  |  the  business  —  YOUR  ambition  —  YOUR 
personality  —  then  ^ 

It  would,  and  you  would,  and  you  could!  2 

The  thing  that  makes  you  |  YOU  is  not  the  way  you  comb  your 
hair  or  wear  your  clothes.  It  is  not  your  person  —  but  your  |  per- 
sonality.^ 

If  you  want  to  know  how  to  cash  in  on  that  personality  —  make 
YOU  a  thousand  times  YOU  —  turn  |  the  page  and  read  on.^ 

For  YOU,  sincerely,      (U8) 

1  Condition  proposed    2  Conclusion     3  General  assertion     4  Applied   to  reader;    arouses 
curiosity 


LETTERS  TO  LARGE  USERS  241 

8 

Mr.  A.  D.  Schultz, 

709  Summit  Avenue, 

Superior,  Wisconsin. 
Dear  Sir: 

Opening  doors  — 

Closing  orders  — 

The  beginning  and  the  end  of  sales  work  —  whether  in  person 
or  by  mail.  | 

But  the  mail  salesman  has  the  "inside"  —  for  he  travels  on  the 
prestige  of  Uncle  Sam  — 

And  nobody  turns  down  |  the  postman. 

Save  distance,  time  and  money  on  your  way  from  the  opened 
door  to  the  closed  order. 

Learn  how  |  to  pick  locks  —  pick  prospects  —  pick  orders. 

The   inside   pages   have   a   suggestion   or   two  —  and   there   are 
more  where  |  these  came  from  — 

How  receptive  are  you.^ 

Yours  truly,     (89) 
Note  epigram,  balance,  and  appeals  to  curiosity  in  this  letter 


9 

Toledo  Investment  Co., 

Toledo,  Ohio. 
Gentlemen:  Re:  Department  Store,  Toledo 

After  a  most  thorough  investigation,  many  of  the  finest  and  most 
modern  department  stores  in  |  the  country  have  installed  Standard 
Plunger  Elevators.     A  few  of  these  are  the  following: 

The  new  Lord  &  Taylor  Department  |  Store,  New  York  City, 
the  Wanamaker  Stores,  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  the  Robert 
Simpson  Stores,  Toronto,  Canada,  and  the  May  |  Department  Store, 
St.  Louis,  ^lissouri.^ 

Realizing  the  necessity  of  absolute  safety  in  elevator  serA-ice, 
their  decision  in  this  matter  was  |  largely  influenced  by  the  fact  that 
of  the  thousands  in  operation,  not  one  has  ever  fallen.- 

The  plunger  machine  we  |  manufacture  has  many   advantages 
over  electric  types,  especially  for  department  store  service: 
Smooth  Riding 
Efficiency  of  SerAice 
Low  Cost  of  I  Operation 


242  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

Low  Maintenance  Cost 
Simplicity  in  Construction 
Durability.^ 
The  exclusive  merits  of  our  elevators  have  induced  their  selec- 
tion for  so  I  many  of  the  most  representative  buildings  in  the  country 
that  we  believe  them  worthy  of  your  most  careful  consideration.* 

We  I  should  like  to  have  the  privilege  of  submitting  a  proposal 
and  presenting  the  facts.  Will  you  not  furnish  us  with  |  the  necessary 
data  so  that  we  may  make  up  an  estimate.^  '" 

Yours  very  truly,      (194) 

1  Testimonial     2  Reliability     3  Other    talking    points     4  Conclu-ion;     applied    to    reader 

5  Asks  action 

10 

Toledo  Investment  Co., 

Toledo,  Ohio. 
Gentlemen :  • 

That  new  building  of  yours  —  have  you  decided  what  kind  of 
floors  you  are  going  to  put  into  it.^  ^  | 

You  want  them  DUSTLESS,  WATERPROOF,  and  SANITARY, 
of  course.     You  want  floors  with  the  minimum  upkeep  expense.- 

The  easiest  and  ]  surest  way  to  secure  such  floors  is  to  lay  them 
of  concrete  by  the  "  STANDARD   WAY."  ^ 

A  hfe  of  a  |  Concrete  Floor  is  fixed  in  the  making.  Once  it  is 
down,  it  is  down  for  good.^ 

"  STANDARD  WAY  "  floors  take  ]  the  risks  and  hazards  out  of 
the  job.  It  is  the  assurance  of  a  reaUy  WEARPROOF,  DUSTPROOF, 
and  WATERPROOF  concrete  |  floor.^ 

Get  the  complete  facts  and  figures  about  "  STANDARD  WAY  " 
floors  before  you  make  a  decision  on  the  floors  for  |  your  new  building. 

Return  the  attached  card  and  get  information  without  obUgating 
you  in  the  slightest  degree. 

Yours  for  better  concrete  |  floors,     (ui) 

1  Predicament     2  Ideal  requirements     3  Remedy      4  Durability      5  Prevents  annoyance 

6  Urges  action  and  removes  objections 

11 

Mr.  Oscar  H.  Richardson,  President, 

Toledo  Investment  Co., 
Toledo,  Ohio. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  are  addressing  you  personally  relative  to  the  advisability  of 
your  instaUing  a  Spencer  in  your  new  University  |  building,   as  we 


LETTERS  TO   LARGE  USERS  243 

believe  that  were  you  aware  of  the  special  merits  of  our  boiler,  you 
would  install  no  other.  | 

While  operating  under  like  conditions  with  any  other  boiler  on 
the  market  to-day,  it  will  enable  you  to  produce  the  |  following  results: 

It  will  save  from  $2.00  to  S3. 00  on  every  ton  of  coal  consumed. 

It  will  enable  |  the  janitor  to  devote  twice  as  much  time  to  his 
other  duties  about  the  building,  because  he  will  not  be  |  forced  to 
fire  the  boiler  so  often.  The  magazine  feed  will  hold  a  12-to  21-hour 
supply  of  I  fuel. 

It  wiU  cut  the  labor  of  attention  in  half.  The  magazine  feed 
requires  coaling  only  once  a  day  in  |  ordinary  weather  and  twice  in 
severe.^ 

These  results  are  made  possible  only  by  the  two  distinctive 
features  of  our  boiler:  |  the  water  jacketed  magazine  feed  and  the 
patented  sloping  grates,  which  combined  give  it  the  ability  to  burn 
cheap  fuel.2  | 

The  Spencer  burns  the  fine  cheap  sizes  of  coal,  such  as  Pea  and 
Buckwheat  jfl,  any  non-coking  soft  |  coal.  Pea  sized  coke,  Lignites,  etc., 
which  all  cost  $2.00  or  $3.00  less  per  ton  than  the  |  larger  sizes  used 
in  surface  feed  boilers.  Therefore,  when  purchasing  anything  but  a 
Spencer  you  are  simply  signing  a  contract  |  to  buy  the  expensive  sizes 
of  fuel.  It  will  also  burn  soft  coal  more  efficiently  than  any  surface 
feed  boiler,  |  although  when  using  this  fuel  you  do  not  secure  the 
advantage  of  the  magazine  feed.^ 

Our  Chicago  Office,  Railway  Exchange  |  Building,  will  take 
pleasure  in  giving  you  further  details.  Will  you  not  avail  yourself  of 
their  expert   advice  on  this  |  most  important  question   of  heating.^  ^ 

Yours  for  successful  heating,     (309) 

1  Effect    2  Cause  asserted    3  Proof    4  Makes  action  easy 

12 

Illinois  Coal  Co., 

284  State  Street, 

Chicago,  Illinois. 

Gentlemen:  Attention  —  Mr.  F.  A.  Homewood. 

We  are  interested  to  learn  from  your  letter  of  July  1  that  you 
expect  I  to  use  a  Gasoline  Engine  to  operate  your  power  pmnp  at  the 
coal  mine.i  If  the  vertical  hft  does  not  |  exceed  31  ft.  and  the  suction 
and  discharge  pipes  are  2"  and  the  total  chstance  the  water  is  |  to  be 
discharged  is  not  over  200  or  300  ft.,  then  with  a  capacity  of  say  30 


244  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

to  I  35  gallons  per  minute  a  3  H.  P.  Engine  would  be  ample  size  to 
take  care  of  these  conditions.-  | 

For  prices,  please  refer  to  page  10  of  our  price  list  No.  32,  copyof 
which  is  inclosed.  You,  ]  of  course,  have  special  discounts  -applying 
to  the  list  prices  therein.^ 

At  the  present  time  we  can  make  delivery  of  j  a  3  H.  P.  Gasoline 
Engine  with  magneto  ignition  in  about  two  or  three  weeks.^  If  you 
decide  to  order  |  this,  Mr.  Homewood,  it  would  be  well  to  inform  us 
as  to  the  speed  of  the  power  pulley  so  that  |  we  can  equip  the  engine 
with  the  proper  pulley  to  operate  the  pump  at  the  correct  speed.^ 

Very  truly  yours,  |  (200) 

1  Subject     2  Answers  question     3  Prices     4  Delivery     5  Aska  further  specifications.   Note 
conciseness  in  letter  to  important  ofBcia! 


13 

Mr.  J.  C.  Helm, 

DeUa,  Idaho. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  have  your  letter  of  Jime  24,  and  we  shall  take  pleasure  in 
supplying  you  with  special  information  |  in  regard  to  the  proper  in- 
stallation of  a  pumping  outfit,  suitable  for  pumping  water  for 
irrigation.^ 

You  have  given  us  |  a  very  good. description  of  your  problem,  but 
there  are  a  few  points  on  which  we  would  hke  to  have  |  additional 
information.  Just  how  many  acres  do  you  wish  to  irrigate  and  what 
crops  are  you  growing  in  the  different  |  tracts;  about  how  many  times 
do  you  wish  to  irrigate  during  the  season  and  about  how  long  do  you 
figure  I  it  will  be  necessary  to  set  aside  for  irrigation,  i.e.,  one,  two, 
three,  or  four  days.^  - 

After  giving  us  |  this  additional  information,  we  beheve  that 
we  shall  be  able  to  submit  to  you  one  or  two  outfits  for  consideration.  | 

We  think  your  suggestion  of  a  portable  outfit  is  a  good  one; 
however,  this  is  with  the  understanding  that  the  |  water  does  not  get 
lower  than  twelve  feet  from  the  surface  so  that  the  suction  is  at  all 
times  very  |  good.  If  the  pump  is  provided  with  a  large  suction  hose, 
then  of  course  you  can  take  care  of  the  |  discharge  by  using  either 
canvas  hose  or  metal  pipe.^ 

I  trust  that  you  wiU  be  able  to  give  us  this  |  additional  infor- 
mation by  return  mail.     It  will  certainly  be  a  pleasure  to  outline  for 


LETTERS  TO  LARGE  USERS  245 

you   specifications   of   a   suitable   portable  |  pumping   outfit    to   meet 
your  conditions.^ 

Very  truly  yours,     (249) 

1  Subject    2  Asks  further  information    3  Answers  question  so  far  as  possible     4  Assures 
of  willingness  to  serve.    Note  longer  letter  to  small  and  less  well-informed  customer 

14 

Mr.  T.  B.  Oliver, 

c/o  Barney  Co., 

Omaha,  Nebraska. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  have  recently  been  in  touch  with  your  Purchasing  Depart- 
ment and  your  engineers  and  find  you  are  erecting  |  Grain  Elevators 
in  Omaha,  Nebraska,  and  that  you  will  have  charge  of  the  electrical 
construction.^  We  shaU  be  very  much  |  interested  in  hearing  from 
you  on  the  matter  of  circuit  breakers  for  your  motor  driven  ma- 
chinery.2  \Yg  understand  there  will  |  be  some  fifteen  motors  in  tliis 
installation  and  that  circuit  breakers  wiU  be  necessary.^ 

Our  own  experience  has  showTi  that  |  conveying  machinery  of  any 
kind  is  subject  to  overloads  that  are  often  disastrous  to  motors  due 
to  the  failure  of  |  fuses.^  Owners  and  operators  of  motor  driven  eleva- 
tor machinery  are  very  heavy  users  of  our  circuit  breakers.  They 
find  the  |  use  of  circuit  breakers  insures  operation,  gives  sure  protec- 
tion and  does  away  with  the  uncertainty  and  losses  occasioned  by 
fuses.^  I 

We  hope  we  may  be  of  service  to  you  under  this  heading. 

Yours  very  truly,     (155) 

1  Refers  to   source  of  information     2  Subject     3  Shows   knowledge  of  situation     4  Con- 
servative statement     5  Testimonial 

15 

L.  T.  Gehring  &  Co., 

Scranton,  Pennsylvania. 
Gentlemen : 

Your  letter  of  February  26,  addressed  to  the  Wagner  Electric 
Manufacturing  Company,  St.  Louis,  has  been  forwarded  here  |  for 
attention.  The  Wagner  Company  decided  to  go  out  of  the  instru- 
ment business  and  turned  over  the  production  of  their  |  instruments 
to  us,  so  that  all  instruments  bearing  their  name  that  have  been 
shipped  out  for  some  Uttle  time  now,  [  have  been  manufactured  in 
our   plant.     Your  inquiry  is  essentially  a  duplicate  of  the  one  we 


246  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

received  and  we  have  |  already  Quoted  you  on  suitable  instruments  in 
our  letter  of  May  31.^ 

A  significant  fact  that  may  be  of  |  interest  to  you,  is  that  the 
majority  of  manufacturers  of  automobile  lighting  and  starting  systems 
have  adopted  instruments  of  our  |  manufacture  as  standard  with 
their  equipment.^ 

We  look  forward  to  being  of  service  to  you. 

Yours  very  truly,      (138) 

1  Explains  forwarding  of  letter  and  makes  follow-up  suggestion     2  Takes  opportunity  to 
cite  testimonial 

16 

Mackon  &  Herley, 

284  Cramer  Street, 

Orange,  New  Jersey. 
Gentlemen : 

While  the  writer  was  recently  at  the  Iroquois  Iron  plant,  of  this 
city,  he  was  favored  with  information  about  j  magnet  wire  which  he 
thought  would  be  of  interest  to  you.  He  learned  that  the  larger  sizes 
of  this  wire  |  are  in  many  instances  used  in  winding  armatures  as  well 
as  magnets.^ 

As  explained  to  you,  the  armature  is  practically  |  the  only  part 
of  the  motor  that  is  subject  to  overloads.  Should  your  Mr.  Phillips 
be  following  this  practice  of  |  winding  armatures  with  magnet  wire, 
this  would  probably  explain  the  reason  for  the  large  quantity  used, 
in  which  event  a  |  Circuit  Breaker  would  give  the  proper  protection 
and  ehminate  this  expense. - 

It  is  a  pleasure  to  be  in  position  to  |  tender  this  information.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (126) 

1  Courteously  offers  information  as  part  of  follow-up     2  Shows  how  to  reduce  expense 
3  Courteous  ending 

17 

Mr.  T.  O.  MarshaU, 

c/o  T.  B.  Field  Co., 

Newton,  Massachusetts. 
Gentlemen : 

We  appreciate  the  interest  you  have  shown  in  our  Signal  System 
Direct  Reading  Ohmmeter.^ 

As  you  noted  from  your  |  inspection  of  the  instrument,'-  it  is 
very  compact,  self-contained,  and  capable  of  giving  very  quick  results. 


LETTERS  TO   LARGE   USERS  247 

It  has  proved  |  itself  especially  adapted  for  measuring  the  resistance 
of  contacts  in  signal  work.^ 

This  Ohmmeter  which  is  described  in  bulletin  #100  |  inclosed  is 
a  modification  of  our  Standard  Ohmmeter  described  in  bulletin  #300 
also  inclosed.  The  latter  |  instrument  you  may  recognize  as  one  that 
has  been  on  the  market  for  a  number  of  years.  The  instruction  bulle- 
tin I  inclosed  gives  a  complete  description  of  the  various  uses  to  which 
it  may  be  put.^ 

We  trust  the  above  information  |  fits  your  purposes  and  we 
assure  you  we  shall  be  glad  to  furnish  you  any  additional  information 
you  may  desire.  | 

Yours  very  truly,     (143) 

1  Subject    2  Compliments    reader's  judgment     3  Talking  points      4  Further  information 

18 

Winters  &  Coleman, 

Norfolk,  Virginia. 
Gentlemen : 

The  writer  wishes  to  express  his  appreciation  for  the  friendly 
interview  given  him  on  his  recent  visit  to  your  j  plant.^  We  are  for- 
warding you,  in  accordance  with  your  request,  a  complete  set  of  our 
latest  condensed  bulletins  covering  circuit  |  breakers  and  electrical 
measuring  instruments. ^ 

We  should  like  very  much  to  quote  you  on  breakers  for  some 
particular  motor  or  |  motors  that  you  think  advisable  to  protect  in 
this  manner.  As  stated  to  you,  this  form  of  protection  is  becoming  | 
more  universal  all  the  time  and  especially  so  in  the  steel  industries. 
We  understand  that  machines,  in  rolling  mills  are  |  in  a  measure  de- 
pendent upon  each  other  for  continued  operation  and  that  a  delay 
on  one  machine  affects  several  others.  |  Also,  a  shutdown  often  re- 
quires reheating  a  billet  before  rolUng  can  be  continued.^ 

We  presmne  this  is  the  reason  |  why  steel  manufacturers  adopt 
this  sure  form  of  protection  rather  than  trust  to  the  uncertainty  of 
fuses.* 

We  trust  we  |  shall  receive  the  ratings  of  some  of  your  motors 
and  shall  be  allowed  to  estimate  on  at  least  one  motor  |  as  a  matter 
of  trial  .^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (188) 

1  Puts  letter  on  phine   of  friendship  rather  than  sales  solicitation     2  Subject     3  Shows 
knowledge  of  business     4  Testimony     5  Asks  action 


248  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

Style  VII.  — UNIFORM   LEFT   MARGIN  STYLE 


111  N.'Mi^kef  Street  ^/*tiSSC£*^££C£  MadlsonT'wi^ondn 


CHICAGO,  ILL., 


January  3rd, 
19       18 


Gibson  Handolin-Cultar  Co. 
521  Harrison  Court, 
Kalamazoo,  Uich. 


The  Fastarfeed  will  Increase  your  typist**  output 
from  25^  to  50;t. 

Watch  one  of  your  operators  addressing  envelopee, 
fllling-ln  form  letters,   heading  statements  or 
Index  cards,  and  you  will  see   that  half  of  her  tlm» 
and  effort  Is  devoted  to  picking  up  the  paper,   In- 
serting It  in  the  typewriter,   and  adjusting  it   to 
correct  position. 

The  rasterfeed  saves  the  operator  all  of  these  non- 
productive operations.     A  hundred  envelopes,   or 
several  hundred  sheets  of  paper,   as   the  case  may  be, 
are  placed  in  this   device  and   the  simple   tap  of  a 
lever  causes   them  to   be   fed  Into   the  typewriter; 
always  in   the   same  position,   always   straight;   a 
new  piece   ready   for  the  next  address  Just  as   soon 
as  the  finished  one  Is  removed. 

Today  the  Fasterfeed  Is  working  in  hundreds  of  the 
largest   firms,   cutting  the  typing  costs    from  one- 
. quarter  to  one-half. 

Let  us  show  you,   in  your  office,  what  the  Fasterfeed 
will  accomplish.     Send  the  enclosed  card  back   to  us 
and  we  will   be  glad  to   demonstrate. 

Very  truly  yours, 

DAVIDSON  MFG.   CO.      ^  ^ 


LETTERS  TO   LARGE  USERS  249 

19 

Albany  Locomotive  Works, 

Albany,  New  York. 
Dear  Sir:  '        Attention  Mr.  S.  K.  Holt. 

Have  you  any  work  similar  to  the  castings  shown  on  the  inside 
of  I  this  folder?  ^ 

If  yom"  time  is  longer  than  ours  for  doing  this  work,  let  us  go 
over  it  together.^ 

^^  e  I  will  gladly  have  one  of  our  men  make  a  study  of  your 
chucking  problems  with  you.  He  can  spend  as  |  much  time  with  you 
as  you  can  use  to  your  mutual  advantage.^ 

Just  write  or  wire  when  you  want  to  |  see  our  man.^ 

Yours  very  truly,     (86) 

1   Introduces    printed  pages      2   Suggests  action      3   Offers  assistance  to  action       4  Final 
suggestion  of  action 

20 

]\Ir.  A.  W.  Ellis,  President, 

A.  W.  EUis  Mfg.  Co., 

S>Tacuse,  New  York. 
Dear  Sir: 

A  new  idea  on  an  old  subject  has  just  been  developed  in  the 
business  world.^ 

This  idea  has  |  such  surprising  possibihties  that  it  merits  your 
most  serious  and  personal  consideration.^ 

Turn  this  leaf  and  you  will  find  the  |  whole  story  in  boiled-down 
form.' 

Yours  very  truly,     (49) 

1  Arouses  interest    2  Appea  s  to  curiosity    3  Introduces  printed  pages 

21 

Mr.  W.  A.  Crane, 

Chicago  Printing  Co., 
Chicago,  Illinois. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  are  supphing  some  of  the  largest  printers  in  the  United 
States,  principally  in  Chicago  and  New  York  |  City,  with  Simmonds 
Paper  Cutting  Knives."^  Are  you  buying  through  manufacturers  of 
the  cutters,  or  direct  from  knife  manufacturers? ' 

We  I  judge  that  a  firm  of  your  size  would  need  exceptionally 


250  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

good  knives,  and  would  be  buying  every  once  in  a  |  while.^  If  this 
letter  should  find  you  in  need  of  anything  at  this  time,  will  you  give 
us  the  opportunity  |  to  figure  with  you  on  Simmonds  Knives? 

Yours  very  truly,      (90) 

1  Testimonial  2  Suggests  predicament  and  remedy  3  Shows  knowledge  of  customer; 
appeals  to  pride 

22 

Ontario  Printing  Co., 

Toronto,  Ontario. 
Gentlemen : 

It  is  your  problem  to  produce  printed  matter  capable  of  convey- 
ing your  ideas  or  arguments  to  others  without  loss  |  in  the  transmission.^ 

Rare  wine  from  a  tin  cup  would  lose  its  charm.  Telling  thoughts 
delivered  by  a  poor  orator  |  lose  their  effectiveness.^  In  all  times 
influence  has  been  just  as  potent  as  argument.^ 

That  Hampshire  Bond  Covers  will  help  |  to  influence  those  who 
read  your  arguments  has  been  pretty  definitely  settled^ — still  that  is 
left  to  your  judgment. 

When  I  a  man  buys  a  page  of  magazine  space  the  circulation 
governs  the  price.  When  a  man  buys  printing  and  paper,  |  too  often 
nothing  governs  the  price  but  the  price  itself.^  It  is  what  a  piece  of 
printed  matter  does,  not  |  what  it  costs,  that  establishes  its  true  value.^ 

If  you  decide  to  use  Hampshire  Bond  Cover  and  your  printer 
seems  |  to  have  any  difficulty  in  securing  it,  will  you  kindly  write  us.^  ^ 

Yours  very  truly,      (155) 

1  Problem    2  Specific  illustration    3  General  conclusion    4  Solution     5  Asks  action 


ARTICLES    FOR    DICTATION 

THE   IMPORTANCE   OF   BUSINESS   LETTERS 

A  salesman  can  average  perhaps  six  or  eight  calls  a  day. 
The  writer  salesman  can  average  from  thirty  to  forty  | 
calls  a  day  and  each  one  of  these  letter  calls  is  extremely 
important.  Our  written  representatives  are  performing 
duties  which  |  are  in  many  ways  identical  with  those  per- 
formed by  our  personal  representatives. 

Letters  are  employed  to  initiate  and  complete  the  | 
greater  number  of  business  transactions.  Though  this  is 
true,  it  should  not  be  taken  as  an  indication  that  the  sales- 
man I  is  becoming  less  important  in  our  scheme  of  dis- 
tribution. Not  at  all.  The  letter  is  the  salesman's  ally. 
Rightly  written  |  it  can  be  an  effective  aid  to  him. 

Letters  are  gradually  relieving  the  salesman  of  many 
details.  Consequently,  the  salesman  |  is  fmding  new  oppor- 
tunities for  development.  He  is  devoting  more  time  to 
intensive  cultivation  work,  and  more  thought  to  the  |  needs 
of  those  located  in  his  territory. 

Letters  can  destroy  business  faster  than  salesmen  and 
advertising  can  build  it  up.  |  This  destructive  work  may  not 
be  intentional  on  the  part  of  the  letter  writer.  The  possi- 
bility for  salesmanship  in  everyday  |  letters  is  not  realized 
for  the  most  part  either  by  correspondents  or  heads  of 
otherwise  progressive  business  houses. 

Training  |  is  as  necessary  for  letter  writers  as  it  is  for 
salesmen.     There  are  a  few  exceptional  letter  writers,  it  is  | 
true,  but  the  need  is  too  great  to  depend  upon  these  excep- 

251 


252 


CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 


Style  VIIL  — HOUSE   CORRESPONDENCE 

Spaces  for  data  indicated  at  the  top  of  the  sheet;    salutation  and 
complimentary  close  omitted. 


Foim«i6-2l»M-2-18- JOM-  i» 


INTER-ORGANIZATION  CORRESPONDENCE 

Thi*  form  i«  for  all  eoxreapondaice  between  the  fieU 
org&niiKtioD  atnd  the  !»AaTy. 


To 

Attention , 

J^nRe^y^Rrf^  LAM  -  MAIL  SAI£S  DEPT. 
Subjed: 


From  Akron,  Ohio. 
Date  June  25,  1918. 


A  MONDAY  MORNING  CALL  BY  LETTER 


Attached  are  saleslettera  No.  13  -  14  -  15  -  16. 

Far  the  next  four  weeks  we  want  every  dealer  In 
your  territory  not  seei  by  a  salesman  to  receive 
a  letter  from  you. 

These  letters  should  arrive  on  the  dealer's  desk 
on  Monday  moming»  This  means  they  will  have  to 
be  mailed  out  the  Friday  night  or  Saturday  morn- 
ing preceding. 

You  will  have  to  rush  back  your  order  for  these 
letters  because  we  want  this  campaign  to  be  worked 
out  as  follows: 

Letter  No.  13  mailed  July  5. 
II    n  14   "     "^  12, 

"    "  15   "     "   19. 
"  16   "     "   264 

We  will  multigraph  letters,  furnish  order  blanks, 
special  letter  heads,  etc. 

Please  hurry  your  order  back  telling  tis  the  number 
you  mill  need.  One  order  will  be  sufficient. 


ttAIL  SALES  DEPARTMENT. 


ARTICLES    FOR    DICTATION  253 

tions.  The  greater  part  of  the  work  "in  business  |  is  carried 
on  by  people  of  only  average  ability  and  upon  them  we 
must  of  necessity  depend. 

Ability  to  write  |  effective  letters  is  often  merely  a  matter 
of  training.    Experience  alone  does  not  suffice. 

Several  firms  in  this  country  which  |  have  caught  a  vision 
of  the  things  brought  out  in  these  preliminary  remarks  have 
employed  supervisors,  critics,  and  specialists  to  |  make  an 
analytical  study  of  their  correspondence  needs. 

This  report  not  only  reviews  their  work  but  also  shows 
that  up-to-date  |  educational  institutions  are  adjusting 
their  courses  of  study  to  keep  pace  with  what  may  be  aptly 
termed  a  |  vital  need.  Business  houses  and  educational 
institutions  can  learn  much  from  each  other,  and  both  will 
progress  faster  when  they  |  have  a  definite  understanding 
and  appreciation  of  each  other's  needs  and  aims. 

The  information  contained  in  the  following  pages  has  | 
two  applications: 

It  concerns  the  executive  heads  of  organizations.  The 
success  of  their  institutions  is  to  a  large  extent  in  |  the 
hands  of  their  letter  writers.  A  firm's  history  is  written  in 
its  letters.  How  important  it  is,  then,  that  |  the  letters  of 
every  fii^m  should  be  real  sales  builders.  How  necessary  it 
is  that  they  create  the  right  impression  |  and  perform  the 
right  service  among  the  men  and  women  at  the  other  end 
of  the  bargain.  Good  will,  a  |  firm's  most  valuable  asset, 
is  largely  shaped  by  correspondence. 

For  the  individual,  letter  writing  offers  opportunities  for 
advancement  in  any  |  institution  that  will  compare  favor- 
ably with  any  other  line  of  endeavor.  For  him  this  report 
will  contain  many  important  suggestions.  | 

The  thoughts  herein  expressed  will  never  do  any  good 
unless  they  are  put  to  work.  If  what  is  brought  out  |  is 
instrumental  in  awakening  in  the  minds  of  those  who  read 


254  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

it  some  idea  of  the  importance  of  the  subjects  |  discussed, 
then  the  energy  expended  so  far  will  be  repaid,  at  least 
in  part.     (554) 

E.  P.  Cramer  H.  R.  Rasely 

G.  R.  HoTCHKiss        Chas.  R.  Wiers 
L.  A.  McQueen  Committee. 

From   Report  of  First   Annual   Convention, 
Retter  Letters  Association, 
October  15-16,  1917 

MOTIVES   BEHIND   ALL   BUYING 

Rehind  every  human  action  there  is  a  motive.  We  all 
have  a  reason  for  buying  —  even  the  woman  who  is  | 
"just  shopping."  Some  of  these  motives  are  instinctive  and 
elemental  —  the  aforementioned  woman  "just  loves  shop- 
ping"—  others  are  the  fruit  |  of  careful  reflection  and 
reasoning.  The  study  of  salesmanship  begins  with  an 
analysis  of  the  various  motives  which  may  prompt  |  or 
produce  the  desire  to  buy  in  one  case  and  may  lead  to  a 
refusal  in  another. 

Rehind  every  purchase  |  there  are  two  conflicting  mo- 
tives: an  instinctive  desire  to  possess  the  article  proffered 
if  it  gives  pleasure,  renders  a  profit,  |  or  serves  some  useful 
purpose;  and  an  instinctive  reluctance  to  make  the  pur- 
chase because  it  involves  drawing  upon  our  reservoir  |  of 
power,  symbolized  in  money.  The  more  limited  this  reser- 
voir of  power  the  more  cautious  we  are  in  drawing  upon  | 
it.  If  we  are  by  nature  extremely  cautious,  then  we  "just 
hate  spending."  If  we  have  the  means  to  spend  |  and 
refuse  to  do  so  we  may  be  dubbed  "tightwads"  or  be  de- 
scribed as  "stingy"  or  "mean." 

Money  is  the  |  token  we  exchange  for  necessities,  com- 
forts, luxury,  leisure,  and  the  labor  and  service  of  others. 
The  art  of  the  salesman  |   is  to  convince  the  buyer  by  means 


ARTICLES    FOR    DICTATION  255 

of  graphic  description  or  reasoned  argument  or  both,  that 
the  offer  returns  full  |  value  in  comfort,  luxury,  or  utility 
for  the  expenditure  involved.  He  creates  in  the  mind  of 
the  buyer  a  strong  |  and  vivid  mental  picture  of  the  benefit 
to  be  derived  from  the  purchase  so  as  to  overcome  that 
instinctive  reluctance  |  to  draw  on  his  reservoir  of  power 
which  all  experience  when  faced  with  a  purchase  of  any 
moment. 

Thus  the  |  motive  behind  every  purchase  is  the  satis- 
faction of  one  or  more  instinctive  desires.  A  merchant 
buys  goods  for  resale  to  |  satisfy  the  money-making  in- 
stinct; an  automobile  is  bought  because  it  gives  pleasure 
by  satisfying  the  instinctive  desire  for  luxury  |  and  com- 
fort, or  because  it  appeals  to  the  pride  of  possession,  or 
perhaps  because  both  instincts  enter  into  the  transaction.  | 

The  aim  of  the  salesman  is  to  present  not  only  the  advan- 
tages or  attractiveness  of  his  goods  in  a  convincing  |  manner 
but  to  arouse  in  the  mind  of  the  buyer  as  many  motives  as 
possible  for  making  the  purchase.  If  |  a  particular  motive 
seems  stronger  in  its  appeal  than  any  other  he  will,  of  course, 
lay  increased  stress  upon  that.  | 

From  the  many  arguments  in  favor  of  his  goods,  which 
shall  the  salesman  select.^  If  he  is  selling  an  automobile,  | 
shall  he  base  his  appeal  on  the  fact  that  the  prospect  will 
derive  great  pleasure  from  motoring.^  Or  shall  he  |  lay 
stress  on  the  fact  that  the  car  is  economical  to  operate  or 
that  by  its  use  the  prospect  will  |  be  able  to  conserve  his 
time? 

Or  presume  that  the  commodity  in  question  is  a  suite  of 
expensive  mahogany  office  |  furniture.  Will  it  be  well  to 
emphasize  the  pride  to  be  derived  from  its  possession,  or 
will  it  be  preferable  |  to  argue  that  the  elaborate  furniture 
will  reflect  its  owner's  prosperity  and  sound  business  stand- 
ing to  his  customers  cuid  consequently  |  pay  for  itself  in 


256  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

the  profits  derived  from  prestige?  The  salesman  must  con- 
sider these  questions  in  the  preparation  of  his  |  various 
sales  arguments  no  less  than  he  must  analyze  his  proposi- 
tion so  as  to  make  clear  its  advantages  from  every  |  view- 
point.    (561) 

Whitehead.     Principles  of  Salesmariship 

Copyright,  1917,  by  the  Ronald  Press  Company 

GOOD   WILL 

What  is  good  will?  Probably  the  best  definition  is  that 
which  has  been  placed  upon  it  by  the  courts.  The  |  United 
States  Circuit  Court  of  Appeals  once  gave  this  definition: 

"When  an  individual  or  a  firm  or  a  corporation  has  | 
gone  on  for  an  unbroken  series  of  years  conducting  a  par- 
ticular business,  and  has  been  scrupulous  in  fulfilling  its 
obligations  |  and  careful  to  maintain  the  standard  of  the 
goods  dealt  in,  and  absolutely  fair  and  honest  in  its 
business  dealings,  |  so  that  customers  of  the  concern  are 
convinced  that  their  experience  in  the  future  will  be  as  satis- 
factory as  in  I  the  past;  where  such  customers'  good  report 
of  their  own  experience  tends  continually  to  bring  new 
customers  to  the  concern,  |  there  has  been  produced  an  ele- 
ment of  value  quite  as  important  —  in  some  cases  perhaps 
far  more  important  —  than  that  |  of  the  plant  or  ma- 
chinery with  which  the  business  is  carried  on. 

"That  it  is  property  is  abundantly  settled  by  |  authority 
and,  indeed,  is  not  disputed.    That  in  some  cases  it  may  be 
very  valuable  property  is  manifested.     The  individual  | 
who  has  created  it  by  years  of  hard  work  and  fair  business 
dealings  usually  experiences  no  difficulty  in  finding  men  | 
willing  to  pay  him  for  it  if  he  be  willing  to  sell  it  to  them." 

All  classes  of  courts  in  |  the  United  States  have  recog- 
nized the  fact  that  good  will  is  an  asset;  the  injunctions 
which   have   been   issued   and  |  the    damages   which   have 


ARTICLES    FOR    DICTATION  257 

been  assessed  for  unfair  competition  are  founded  on  the 
doctrine  of  good  will.  For  instance,  a  |  trade  name  —  not 
a  trade-mark  —  may  have  acquired  a  great  value  through 
long  years  of  business;  the  courts  protect  |  that  name  from 
use  by  a  competitor,  terming  such  practice  "unfair  com- 
petition" because  the  competitor  seeks  to  go  forward  by  | 
the  theft  of  one  of  the  most  important  assets  of  the  original 
trader  —  his  good  will.     (316) 

What  Is  " Good  WiU"  Worth.^     From  System 


DANGEROUS  LETTERS 

Can  letters  destroy  business.^  My  answer  is,  much  easier 
and  quicker  than  they  can  build  business;  and  I  can 
prove  I  it. 

I  could  recount  several  instances.  In  one  case  an  account 
amounting  to  some  twelve  thousand  a  year  was  lost  |  be- 
cause of  one  letter.  The  letter  was  an  innocent-looking  thing, 
not  more  than  eight  lines,  but  it  was  enough.  |  The  presi- 
dent of  the  other  concern  in  his  reply  made  the  statement 
that  never  in  the  history  of  his  connection  |  with  the  funi 
would  they  ever  make  another  purchase.  That  was  some 
three  years  ago  and  so  far  as  I  |  am  able  to  learn  he  has 
kept  his  promise. 

Where  this  fellow  took  the  trouble  to  write  in  and  air  | 
his  feelings  a  score  of  others  would  not  have  taken  that 
trouble.  They  drop  quietly  by  the  wayside  and  no  |  one 
knows  the  reason  why.  There  are  many  firms  who,  a  year 
ago,  were  on  the  books  of  the  firms  |  represented  here  and 
are  not  here  to-day.  Why  not.^  I'll  guarantee  that  if  we 
knew  some  of  the  reasons  we  |  would  be  surprised.  Many 
of  them  perhaps  have  just  been  frozen  to  death  by  the 
worse  than  zero  letters  they  |  have  received.  I  can  tell  you 
of  a  men's  furnishing  store  right  here  on  i\Iain  Street  that 


258  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

lost  two  accounts  |  simply  because  of  a  tactless  letter.  This 
will  show  that  business  destroying  letters  are  not  confined 
to  manufacturing  firms  alone.  | 

If  it  is  worth  an  expenditure  of  time  and  money  to  get  a 
prospect  on  our  books,  it  is  worth  |  an  effort  to  keep  him 

there.     (266) 

H.  N.  Rasely.     Correspondence  Supervisor 

THE   OPPORTUNITY   OF   BUSINESS   LETTERS 

The  increased  importance  of  letters  in  the  business  field 
has  made  it  necessary  for  every  business  man  to  understand 
how  I  to  write  and  to  use  them  if  he  is  to  keep  abreast  of 
modern  methods. 

Until  a  few  years  ago,  |  most  letters  were  written  with 
small  attention  to  their  appearance  or  their  composition. 
They  were  loaded  with  errors  and  with  |  a  strange  jargon 
of  "stock  phrases";  they  had  the  awkward  brevity  of 
telegrams,  omitting  pronouns  and  every  word  not  con- 
sidered I  vital  to  the  meaning.  To-day  a  retail  customer 
dealing  with  a  good  house  may  well  be  surprised  if  the 
letters  |  he  receives  are  not  courteous,  tasteful  in  appear- 
ance, and  clearly  written  in  good  English.  When  he  writes 
such  a  house  |  he  usually  receives  such  accurate  and  intel- 
ligent correspondence,  and  any  difficulties  are  smoothed  out 
so  tactfully,  that  he  may  well  |  feel  more  at  ease  when 
buying  by  mail  than  when  buying  in  person. 

What  are  the  reasons  for  this  general  |  reform?  First 
comes  the  enormous  increase  in  the  number  of  routine 
letters  caused  by  the  distance  between  buyer  and  seller.  | 
The  growth  of  commerce  and  the  improvement  of  com- 
munication by  railroad,  telephone,  telegraph,  and  post- 
office  systems  have  made  it  |  possible  for  wholesaler  and 
retailer,  manufacturer  and  jobber,  retail  customer  and  mail 
order  firm,  though  living  at  great  distances,  to  |  do  busi- 


.\RTICLES    FOR    DICTATION  259 

ness  successfully  with  each  other.     Letters  perform  nearly 
all  of  this  service.     They  are  the  shuttles  that  fly  back  | 
and  forth  to  weave  the  web  of  commerce. 

The  fundamental  qualities  which  the  reader  demands  in 
every  letter  are  clearness,  |  conciseness,  completeness,  cor- 
rectness, and  courtesy.  Behind  the  need  of  all  these  lie 
good  reasons  which  can  best  be  understood  if  |  you  think 
first  how  the  letter  is  read  by  the  man  at  the  desk. 

The  usual  business  letter  is  read  |  rapidly  or  only  glanced 
through.  The  eye  runs  down  the  page  catching  at  the  out- 
standing words  and  phrases,  looking  |  for  a  key  to  the 
meaning  of  the  whole.  It  is  read  as  one  of  many  letters. 
The  morning's  mail  |  of  a  business  man  may  bring  to  his 
desk  from  twenty  to  one  hundred  letters,  or  even  more. 
Each  of  I  these  presents  a  different  problem,  so  that  his 
mind  must  adjust  itself  afresh  for  each. 

For  these  reasons  the  first  |  requirement  of  every  busi- 
ness letter  is  clearness.  There  must  not  be  a  moment's 
doubt  as  to  its  meaning.  A  letter  |  that  is  thoroughly  clear 
at  first  reading  will  save  mistakes,  delays,  and  the  writing 
of  other  letters.  To  secure  clearness  |  for  the  reader,  give 
each  idea  a  separate  paragraph.  The  eye  gi'asps  a  group 
of  words  as  a  unit,  separated  |  from  other  groups  by  its 
indentations.  However,  a  number  of  short,  simple  sentences, 
each  in  one  paragraph,  are  monotonous  and  |  so  unconnected 
that  often  they  are  harder  to  read  than  longer  ones;  there- 
fore, when  simple  ideas  are  of  the  same  |  nature  they  are 
best  joined  in  a  paragraph  which  may  still  be  of  one 
sentence  and  treated  as  one  idea.  |  Overparagraphing  is 
almost  as  bad  as  underparagraphing.  A  general  rule  for  ordi- 
nary letters  is  that  a  paragraph  should  |  not  be  over  six 
lines  long  and  that  most  paragraphs  should  be  shorter. 
This  depends  somewhat  on  the  nature  of  |  the  letter.    Begin 


260  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

with  the  subject  of  the  letter,  and  take  up  the  material  in 
a  definite  arrangement.  If  there  |  is  more  than  one  subject, 
begin  with  what  is  most  pleasing  to  the  reader.  A  chrono- 
logical arrangement  is  a  natural  |  one.  In  a  letter  con- 
taining both  facts  and  comments  give  facts  first,  then 
comments. 

Conciseness  is  next  in  importance  to  |  clearness,  to  save 
time  for  the  busy  reader.  Do  not  waste  a  word.  Make 
every  letter  as  short  as  is  |  consistent  with  clearness  and 
courtesy.  A  letter  which  is  so  short  that  it  gives  too  little 
attention  to  each  idea  |  is  harder  to  understand  than  a 
longer  letter,  and  therefore  really  takes  more  of  the  reader's 
time.  If  it  is  |  so  short  as  to  omit  courtesy,  it  neglects  its 
opportunity.  A  few  words  extra  or  another  sentence  add 
little  or  I  nothing  to  the  cost  of  the  letter  and  may  add  to 
its  effectiveness. 

Completeness  is  a  requisite  to  be  borne  |  carefully  in  mind. 
Many  costly  blunders  are  made  because  the  writer  leaves 
out  necessary  statements  or  simply  forgets  to  say  |  all  he 
intended.  He  may  think  some  topic  too  obvious  to  need 
attention.  For  example,  he  supposes  that  he  does  |  not 
need  to  refer  to  a  previous  agreement  between  himself 
and  the  reader,  but  the  busy  man  at  the  desk,  |  turning  his 
attention  from  other  letters  to  this  one,  has  not  time  to 
think  of  subjects  that  do  not  stand  |  on  the  page  before 
him. 

Correctness  in  spelling,  punctuation,  grammar,  and  sen- 
tence construction,  as  well  as  in  all  the  rules  |  relating  to  the 
appearance  of  the  letter,  are  first  of  all  necessary  to  pre- 
serve the  writer's  dignity  and  to  make  |  the  letter  a  worthy 
representative  of  his  firm.  But  there  is  a  more  important 
reason  than  this.  As  the  reader  |  glances  through  the  letter, 
striving  to  understand  it  as  quickly  as  possible,  his  atten- 


ARTICLES    FOR    DICTATION  261 

tion  will  be  distracted  from  the  subject  matter  |  by  an  error 
of  any  kind.  It  is  not  safe  to  rely  on  his  ignorance;  even 
men  who  make  |  mistakes  themselves  notice  them  in  others, 
and  the  most  intelligent  customers  are  those  you  care  most 
for.  And  though  bad  |  grammar,  punctuation,  and  spelling 
will  be  forgiven  by  the  reader,  you  do  not  want  him  to 
take  the  time  to  |  forgive  them  —  you  want  him  to  read 
your  letter.  To  economize  the  reader's  attention,  be 
correct. 

Courtesy  is  at  least  |  as  important  as  any  other  requisite. 
In  this  direction  lies  a  great  opportunity  of  the  modern 
letter.  The  business  correspondent  |  can  never  allow  him- 
self the  luxury  of  losing  his  temper;  no  matter  how  irri- 
tating the  letter  he  receives  he  must  |  write  a  courteous  reply ; 
no  matter  how  monotonous  is  the  succession  of  the  letters 
he  writes,  all  nearly  ahke,  he  |  must  never  weary  of  saying 
"please,"  "thank  you,"  "we  regret,"  "we  take  pleasure," 
and  other  similar  courteous  phrases.  Remember  that  [  the 
reader  does  not  grow  tired  of  them. 

Courtesy  should  stand  out  emphatically  in  your  letter, 
considering  how  rapidly  letters  |  are  read.  Use  definite 
words  that  show  your  desire  to  be  of  service,  or  your  con- 
sideration for  the  reader's  position.  |  Let  such  words  show 
up  strongly  at  the  begiiming  and  the  end  of  the  letter; 
let  the  first  and  last  |  sentence  contain  positively  cour- 
teous words.  Often  the  addition  of  a  half  dozen  words  will 
transform  an  unintentionally  sharp  letter  into  |  a  pleasant 
one.  Unless  you  translate  your  cordial  feeling  into  words 
on  the  page,  the  reader  of  your  letter,  a  |  thousand  miles 
away,  will  never  know  how  you  feel  toward  him.     (1131) 

Edward  Hall  Ga"rdner.    Effective  Business  Letters 
Copyright,  1915,  by  the  Ronald  Press  Company 


262  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

THE   SOCIAL   IMPORTANCE   OF   GOOD    SALESMANSHIP 

The  question  may  be  raised  whether  the  work  of  the 
salesman  is  in  the  interest  of  the  consumer  and  of  |  society 
at  large.  In  answer  it  may  be  pointed  out  that  desires  had 
to  be  aroused  and  intensified  to  introduce  |  into  general 
use  practically  every  article  of  modern  convenience  and 
comfort.  It  was  salesmanship  which  put  the  sewing  ma- 
chine, range,  |  gas  stove,  electrical  appliance,  musical  in- 
strument, washing  machine,  and  vacuum  cleaner  into  the 
home.  Salesmanship  has  introduced  practically  all  great  | 
improvements  and  devices  into  every  line  of  business  and 
industrial  life.  Without  salesmen  our  present  material 
development  would  be  inconceivable.  |  Salesmen  are  the 
modern  teachers  of  the  people  in  the  arts  of  progress,  and 
as  such,  rank  with  the  schools  |  and  the  press. 

The  social  importance  of  good  salesmanship  can  be  pointed 
out  very  well  by  showing  the  failure  of  |  salespeople  of  the 
past  generation.  As  one  goes  through  homes  and  notes  the 
incongruous  furnishings,  lacking  both  in  art  and  |  in  useful- 
ness, one  cannot  help  but  think  of  the  wasted  opportunity 
of  salesmen  to  point  out  to  purchasers  how  —  and  |  gener- 
ally without  additional  expense  —  they  might  have  im- 
proved their  homes.  Much  of  the  waste  of  American 
cookery  in  the  towns  |  and  cities  could  be  eliminated  by  a 
word  of  advice  given  by  skilled  grocers'  salesmen  now  and 
then.  It  is  |  said  by  shoemakers  that  at  least  seventy-five 
per  cent  of  adults  have  trouble  with  their  feet  —  corns, 
bunions,  ingrowing  |  toe  nails,  broken-down  arches,  and 
so  on.  Most  of  these  troubles  are  directly  due  to  poor  shoe 
fitting;  in  |  other  words,  poor  shoe  salesmanship.  ]\Iuch 
of  the  waste,  inefficiency,  and  even  suffering  due  to  badly 
furnished  homes,  poor  clothing,  |  badly  fitted  garments  and 
shoes,  wrongly  selected  foods,  and  so  forth,  are  chargeable 


ARTICLES    FOR    DICTATION  263 

to  a  very  large  extent  to  bad  |  retail  salesmanship.  One 
should  not  overlook  the  responsibility  of  the  consumer  for 
being  in  the  plight  he  is  often  in,  |  but  the  work  of  the 
retailer  and  his  salespeople  as  purchasing  and  distributing 
agents  for  the  community  might  well  include  |  such  edu- 
cation of  the  consumer  in  the  use  of  materials  as  the  retailer 
and  his  salesmen  are  best  fitted  to  |  give.     (361) 

Paul  H.  Nystrom.     The  Economics  of  Retailing 
Copyright,  1915,  by  the  Ronald  Press  Company 

AROUSING   MENTAL  IMAGES 

The  worthiness  and  the  desirability  of  an  article  depend, 
among  other  factors,  upon  a  clear,  distinct  idea  of  what  the 
I  article  is  like;  and  a  clear  idea  of  the  nature  of  the  object 
depends  upon  the  illustration  and  the  descriptive  |  phrases 
used  concerning  it.  The  most  vivid  idea  of  an  article  can 
be  obtained  by  seeing,  hearing,  tasting,  smelling,  touching.  | 
or  handling  the  article  itself.  In  advertising,  the  article 
can  be  represented  only  by  proxy.  The  best  substitute  for 
the  I  article  is  a  good  picture  of  it.  The  next  best  substi- 
tute is  a  good,  brief,  vivid  description  of  it. 

A  I  vivid  description  should  produce  mental  pictures  of 
the  object  in  the  mind  of  the  reader.  By  a  mental  picture 
or  I  image  is  meant  the  recalling  in  the  mind  of  just  how 
the  object  looks,  or  feels,  or  tastes,  or  smells,  |  or  sounds, 
depending  upon  which  sense  or  senses  are  stimulated  by  it. 
We  have  as  many  different  kinds  of  mental  |  images  as  we 
have  sense  organs.  Thus  you  may  recall  in  your  mind's 
eye  how  your  mother  looks.  This  picture  |  may  be  so  vivid 
that  you  can  almost  see  her  stand  before  you.  Likewise, 
you  may  recall  exactly  how  her  |  voice  sounds  so  that  you  can 
almost  hear  her  speak.  You  may  recall  the  odor  of  coffee 
so  vividly  that  |  you  can  almost  smell  it.     You  may  recall 


264  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

the  taste  of  an  orange  so  clearly  that  you  can  almost  taste  | 
it.     Or,  you  may  recall  the  touch  of  velvet  so  distinctly 
that   you   can   almost  feel  it.     These  are  mental  |  images. 
They  are  the  most  realistic  representatives  of  objects  when 
they  themselves  are  not  present. 

This  particular  phase  of  the  |  advertiser's  work  requires 
the  use  of  much  thought  and  ingenuity.  Concreteness  and 
defmiteness  in  phrases  are  always  preferable  to  glittering  | 
generalities.  An  apple  might  be  described  as  "The  Michi- 
gan Apple,  the  finest  in  the  world."  Or,  it  might  be  de- 
scribed I  as  a  beautiful  red  apple  with  a  delicious  flavor. 
The  latter  description,  carried  out  more  fully,  arouses  a 
picture  in  |  your  mind  of  the  appearance  and  the  taste  of 
the  apple.  It  appeals  to  the  same  sense  as  the  apple  |  itself 
does.  The  former  description  is  vague  and  exaggerated. 
Some  one  has  said  that  an  advertisement  of  food  is  not  | 
good  unless  it  makes  your  "mouth  water."  It  should 
appeal  in  a  most  lively  manner  to  the  sense  of  taste.  | 

In  the  writing  of  copy,  two  rules  should  be  borne  in  mind: 
(1)  Use  words  and  phrases  which  will  arouse  |  concrete 
mental  images  in  the  minds  of  the  readers.  (2)  For  arti- 
cles which  appeal  primarily  to  a  certain  sense,  use  |  words 
and  phrases  that  will  emphasize  the  images  of  that  par- 
ticular sense.  For  example,  descriptions  of  foods  should 
arouse  taste  |  images,  descriptions^  of  musical  instruments 
should  call  up  sound  pictures.  Advertisements  of  clothing 
may  make  strong  points  of  appearance  and  |  style.  Adver- 
tisements of  shoes  may  emphasize  touch  and  comfort  to  the 
feet.  Each  advertisement  should  appeal  to  the  sense  or  | 
senses  to  which  the  commodity  itself  appeals.  In  the  case  of 
direct,  personal  salesmanship,  the  article  itself  can  be  seen.  | 
heard,  touched,  tasted,  or  smelled  according  to  the  nature  of 
the  article.  The  customer  knows  exactly  what  it  is  like.  | 
In  salesmanship   through    print,    the    advertisement    must 


ARTICLES    FOR    DICTATION  265 

stimulate  the  customer's  imagination  so  that  in  his  mind 
he  can  see,  hear,  |  touch,  taste,  or  smell  the  article.     (566) 

Daniel  Starch.     Advertising 
Copyright,  1914,  by  Scott,  Foresman  &  Co.     Used  by  permission 

EFFICIENT   COST   KEEPING 

Referees  in  bankruptcy  will  tell  you  that  half  the  failures 
that  occur  in  periods  of  good  business  occur  because  the  | 
bankrupts  didn't  know  what  their  outputs  cost  them;   they 
hadn't   preserved   the   proper   distance   between   cost   and 
price.  I 

Too  many  prices  are  made  on  the  basis:  "Well,  if  he 
can  sell  it  for  that  we  can."  Of  course,  |  that  does  not 
follow  at  all. 

"The  advantage  that  knowledge  of  production  costs 
gives  a  manufacturer  when  making  prices  is  |  easily  seen. 
His  prices  are  made  intelligently.  He  can  cut  to  the 
lowest  possible  figure  when  necessary  without  fear  of  |  in- 
curring losses,  or  if  the  conditions  justify  a  loss  on  certain 
lines,  he  will  know  exactly  how  far  he  can  |  go  without 
exceeding  the  justifiable  and  intended  loss. 

"On  the  other  hand,  without  a  knowledge  of  costs  he  is 
absolutely  |  in  the  dark  in  fixing  prices  —  so  much  so  that 
his  only  safety  lies  in  prices  so  high  that  he  |  is  abso- 
lutely sure  he  is  above  production  cost  —  a  happy-go-lucky 
method  of  pricing  that,  while  safe  from  the  |  standpoint  of 
direct  loss,  is  not,  in  this  highly  competitive  age,  conducive  to 
large  success." — From  Factory  Costs,  by  F.  E.  Webnes. 

One  western  mill  recently  found  |  that  the  old  day-wage 
system  was  losing  money  for  the  firm,  because  the  price  of 
the  goods  was  fixed  |  by  the  consumer  and  the  workman 
fixed  the  cost. 

A  piece-work  wage  system  was  introduced.  A  hmit  was 
fixed  I  on  the  cost  of  the  goods  with  an  eye  to  meet  the 


266  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

price  fixed  by  the  consumer.     The  system  created  |  a  com- 
fortable margin  between  cost  and  price,  and  by  the  system 
the   tendency   was    for    the    margin    to    grow   gradually  | 
bigger  as  the  management  found  places  where  economies  of 
materials  and  time  could  be  effected. 

It  is  such  simple  things  |  as  these  that  work  the  revolu- 
tions in  profits.  The  American  business  man  has  long 
neglected  his  office,  his  internal  organization,  |  in  favor  of 
his  selling  organization.    Times  are  forcing  a  change. 

We  have,  in  the  world's  greatest  and  wealthiest  nation,  | 
more  failures  than  in  any  other  nation.  The  vast  per- 
centage fail  for  "lack  of  capital,"  "for  want  of  knowledge 
of  I  the  business,"  so  Dunn  and  Bradstreet  tell  us.  The 
commercial  lawyers  tell  us  that  the  principal  "lack"  is  a 
practical  |  knowledge  of  what  it  costs  to  do  business. 

If  there  is  any  place  where  the  old  adage,  "Be  sure  you  | 
are  right,  then  go   ahead,"  means  something,  it  is  in  the 
matter  of  fixing  prices. 

That  without  accurate  costs  you  |  cannot  intelligently 
and  accurately  fix  prices,  is  as  plain  as  a  pikestaff. 

The  principal  difficulty,  however,  has  lain  in  |  the  hand- 
ling of  the  time  and  materials.  The  records  required  so 
many  hands  and  heads  that  the  manufacturer  preferred 
to  I  chance  it  and  dismissed  the  whole  idea  with  the  futile 
pun:    "It  costs  too  much  to  know  what  it  costs."  | 

Like  most  generalities,  however,  this  is  dangerous.  Again, 
it  is  no  longer  true.  Since  the  introduction  of  the 
time  clock  |  for  recording  the  gross  hours  of  labor;  the 
elapsed  time  recorders  by  which  each  workman  records  in 
plain  figures  on  |  each  card  the  time  he  has  actually  been 
at  work;  and  finally,  the  Burroughs  Cost  Keeping  Ma- 
chines by  which  the  |  time,  the  value  of  materials,  and  the 
costs  may  be  added  and  listed  on  wide  sheets  from  the 
individual  records,  |  and  all  other  handling  of  figures  done 


ARTICLES    FOR    DICTATION  267 

at  a  speed  of  three  to  five  times  greater  than  the  most 
expert  |  clerks  could  formerly  do  it  by  hand,  the  expense  of 
maintaining  a  cost  system  has  lost  most  of  its  terrors.  | 

Business  men  are  now  turning  to  the  subject  with  a 
renewed  interest  further  energized  by  the  thought  that  it 
is  I  better  to  be  safe  than  sorry.     (626) 

E.  St.  Elmo  Lewis.     Efficient  Cost  Keeping 
Copyright,  1914,  by  Burroughs  Adding  Machine  Company 

THE  DYNAMIC   IDEA 

Ideas  gained  from  the  environment  do  not  rest  in  the 
mind  as  so  much  baggage.  They  are  dynamic;  each  one  | 
of  them  tends  to  realize  itself  through  action,  and  it  will 
do  so  if  not  opposed.  Hence  an  idea  of  |  a  peculiarly  com- 
pelling sort  enlists  energetic  action  and  leads  to  tangible 
results.  Such  an  idea  we  may  say  is  luminous.  |  It  shines 
and  lures.  To  Napoleon  it  was  his  star  of  destiny,  seen  on 
all  great  occasions.  "It  commands  me  |  to  go  forward  and 
is  a  constant  sign  of  my  good  fortune,  and  led  by  it,  I  be- 
hold the  world  |  beneath  me  as  if  I  were  being  carried 
through  the  air."  To  Garibaldi  it  was  Italy,  to  O'Connell 
it  was  I  Ireland,  to  Pitt  it  was  Parliament,  to  Webster  it 
was  a  united  country,  to  Clay  it  was  a  glowing  conception  | 
of  national  destiny.  To  Lord  Nelson,  it  was  the  service  of 
king  and  country,  which,  born  in  a  period  of  |  despair,  ever 
afterwards  was  suspended,  as  he  said,  "before  my  mind's 
eye  as  a  radiant  orb  that  courted  me  onward  |  to  renoAvn." 

Such  terms  as  "our  country,"  "democracy,"  "equality," 
"freedom,"  "social  justice,"  have  stimulated  generations 
of  public  men,  and  without  |  doubt  will  continue  so  to  do. 
But  the  luminous  idea  itself  is  universal.  The  merchant 
finds  inspiration  in  business  efficiency,  |  the  editor  in  the 
reforms  he  espouses;  the  teacher  sees  in  the  youths  before 
him  splendid  men  of  to-morrow ;   and  |  among  the  test  tubes 


268  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

and  compound  microscopes  the  research  worker  has  visions 
of  germ  conquests.  The  luminous  idea  is  merely  |  one  with 
power  to  draw  men  onward,  and  each  may  possess  it. 

Its  Characteristics.  —  This  idea  should,  for  one  thing,  | 
be  Clear.  The  idea  which  has  a  power  within  the  mind 
is  one  sifted  from  the  maze  and  clearly  |  perceived.  The 
mental  process,  at  first  thought,  would  seem  difficult,  since 
evolving  central  notions  requires  high  order  of  intelligence. 
Yet  I  the  idea  need  only  seem  clear  to  its  possessor.  Prac- 
tically any  mind,  by  ruminating  on  the  materials  with  which 
it  I  is  stocked,  yields  generalizations  later  held  as  self-evi- 
dent truth.  A  recent  presidential  aspirant,  for  instance, 
states  that  "after  twenty-five  |  years'  study  I  fmd  the  su- 
preme issue,  involving  all  others,  is  the  encroachment  of 
the  powerful  few  upon  the  |  rights  of  the  many"  —  and 
he  continues  to  wage  war  with  this  as  a  slogan.     (395) 

E.  B,  GowiN.     The  Executive  and  His  Control  of  Men 
Copyright,  1915,  by  the  Macmillan  Company 

FAITH   IN   SELF 

Men  of  capacity  often  have  that  sublime  faith  in  self 
which  in  little  minds  is  mere  arrogance.  "I  am  sure  |  that 
I  can  save  this  country,"  said  the  Earl  of  Chatham,  "and 
that  nobody  else  can."  His  son  possesses  a  |  like  confidence; 
"I  place  much  dependence  on  my  new  colleagues,"  said 
Pitt;   "I  place  still  more  dependence  upon  myself." 

Witness  |  also  Bismarck  at  thirty-six,  seemingly  undip- 
lomatic and  unskilled,  offering  to  undertake  "anything 
which  the  King  felt  strong  enough  to  |  propose  to  him"; 
Mohammed,  branded  as  a  pretender  and  threatened  with 
death,  declaring  "though  they  should  array  the  sun  against  | 
me  on  my  right  hand  and  the  moon  on  my  left,  yet  until 
God  should  command  me  or  should  take  |  me  hence,  would 
I  not  depart  from  my  purpose";    Louis  XIV,  for  a  time 


ARTICLES    FOR    DICTATION  269 

after  the  peace  of  Nimwegen,  believing  |  he  was  permitted 
by  God  to  undertake  any  scheme,  no  matter  how  daring; 
or  Webster's  pubhc  declaration,  "I  am  quite  |  aware  that 
I  am  a  man  of  considerable  public  importance,  not  only 
within  the  boundaries  of  Massachusetts,  but  without  her  | 
boundaries,  and  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  this 
continent." 

Such  faith  in  self,  a  compound  of  strong  desire  and  | 
belief  in  one's  ability  to  attain  it,  makes  men  of  iron  resolu- 
tion. .  .  . 

It  is  one  thing  to  yield  intellectual  assent  |  and  another 
to  believe  with  conviction.  In  the  latter,  mere  "assent" 
is  intensified  by  emotion.  "A  hot  flash  seems  to  |  burn 
across  the  brain,"  as  Bagehot  puts  it.  "Men  in  these  in- 
tense states  of  mind  have  altered  all  history,  changed  |  for 
better  or  worse  the  creed  of  myriads,  and  desolated  or  re- 
deemed provinces  and  ages.  Nor  is  this  intensity  a  |  sign 
of  truth,  for  it  is  precisely  strongest  in  those  points  in  which 
men  diff'er  most  from  each  other.  John  |  Knox  felt  it  in 
his  anti-Catholicism,  Ignatius  Loyola  in  his  anti-Protes- 
tantism ;  and  both,  I  suppose,  felt  it  as  |  much  as  it  is  possi- 
ble to  feel  it.  .  .  . 

"We  should  utilize  this  intense  emotion  of  conviction  as 
far  as  we  |  can.  Dry  minds,  which  give  an  intellectual 
'assent'  to  conclusions,  which  feel  no  strong  glow  of  faith 
in  them,  often  |  do  not  know  what  their  opinions  are;  they 
have  every  day  to  go  over  the  arguments  again,  or  to  refer  | 
to  a  notebook  to  know  what  they  believe;  but  intense 
convictions  make  a  memory  for  themselves,  and  if  they  can  | 
be  kept  to  the  truths  of  which  there  is  good  evidence, 
they  give  a  readiness  of  intellect,  a  confidence  in  |  action,  a 
consistency  in  character,  which  are  not  to  be  had  without 
them."     (433) 

E.  B.  GowiN.     The  Executive  and  His  Control  of  Men 
Copyright,  1915,  by  the  Macmillan  Company 


270  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

ORGANIZATION   AND   MANAGEMENT 

While  it  is  true  that  experiments  have  shown  that  a  man 
power  is  equivalent  to  about  one-tenth  of  a  |  horse  power, 
there  are  elements  in  calculating  labor  power  that  do  not 
need  to  be  considered  in  determining  mechanical  efficiency.  | 
A  man  is  spending  his  own  energy  first  for  himself  and 
then  indirectly  for  the  benefit  of  the  manager.  When  | 
the  fatigue  point  is  reached  in  a  man,  the  consequences  of 
continued  labor  are  something  more  than  slackened  produc- 
tion ;  he  I  is  robbing  himself  of  his  health  —  the  storage 
battery  of  his  working  power.  It  is  at  this  point  that  em- 
ployers I  of  labor  need  more  knowledge  of  the  relationship 
which  should  exist  between  the  periods  of  rest  and  relaxa- 
tion for  "different  |  volumes  of  load"  carried  by  the  labor- 
ers. They  should  be  able  to  see  how  to  adjust  these  periods 
in  the  |  predetermination  of  industrial  operations  so  as 
to  obtain  the  maximum  of  work  without  exceeding  the 
"elastic  limit"  of  the  employee.  |  It  was  along  this  line 
that  Mr.  F.  W.  Taylor  conducted  some  of  his  most  impor- 
tant investigations.  He  not  only  |  recognized  that  the  work- 
ing-time units  must  be  separated  from  the  resting-time 
units,  but  he  first  pointed  out  that  |  different  kinds  of 
work  require  different  percentages  of  rest,  depending  upon 
the  kind  and  nature  of  the  work  done.     (219) 

Lee  Galloway.     Organization  and  Management 
Copyright,  1913,  by  Alexander  Hamilton  Institute 

STUDYING   THE   ARTICLE 

The  editor  of  a  great  newspaper  was  once  asked  if  it 
were  possible  for  all  persons  to  learn  to  write.  |  "Yes," 
was  the  reply,  "if  they  all  had  something  to  write  about." 

Without  something  to  write  about,  he  who  hopes  |  to 
construct  advertisements  is  in  the  predicament  of  the  man 


ARTICLES   FOR    DICTATION  271 

who  stood  in  a  crowd  and  said:  "My  friends,  I  |  am  here 
because  I  wish  to  be  a  speaker,  but  as  there  is  nothing  I  can 
think  of  to  say,  |  I  shall  sit  down." 

A  few  sentences,  though  arranged  grammatically,  do  not 
constitute  a  good  advertisement  unless  there  is  something  | 
in  the  language  to  command  the  attention  of  prospective 
buyers,  to  develop  interest,  and  to  produce  conviction. 

The  first  essential,  |  in  starting  out  to  write  an  adver- 
tisement, is  to  collect  all  the  information  available  about 
the  article  or  service  that  |  is  to  be  advertised.  As  Irvin  S. 
Cobb  says,  it  is  one  of  the  mysteries  of  the  writing  busi- 
ness that,  I  in  order  to  make  the  deepest  impression  on 
your  reader,  you  must  know  what  you  are  writing  about. 
Some  clever  |  but  superficial  work  may  pass  the  test,  but 
sooner  or  later  the  man  who  knows  nothing  about  paints  or 
painting,  |  but  who  tries  to  write  advertisements  that  aim 
to  influence  people  to  buy  certain  paints  or  do  certain  kinds 
of  I  painting,  will  betray  himself. 

There  is  a  great  deal  in  this  big  world  of  ours  to  know, 
and  nobody  knows  |  a  very  large  proportion  of  what  there 
is  to  learn.  Consequently,  it  is  not  so  very  difficult,  when 
one  concentrates  |  on  a  given  subject  long  enough,  to  dig 
up  interesting  things  about  it  that  few  people  are  familiar 
with.  Genius,  |  said  Helvetius,  is  only  concentrated  atten- 
tion. Ordinary  raw  cotton  may  seem  to  be  a  subject  to 
which  there  is  little;  |  yet  a  cotton  expert  can  see  so  much 
to  cotton  that  he  can  grade  it  in  more  than  thirty  difierent  | 
grades.  Pig  iron  seems  to  be  too  staple  a  product  to  be 
advertised  in  any  distinctive  way,  but  an  enterprising  |  iron 
man  was  able  to  discover  that  his  product  had  an  unusual 
percentage  of  vanadium  in  it,  which  ingredient  gives  |  iron 
greater  strength;  the  use  of  that  point  made  possible  iron- 
advertising  of  unusual  interest  .  .  . 

An  ice  cream  manufacturer,  who  |  for  yeeu's  had  contented 


272  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

himself  with  a  "standing  card"  in  the  local  newspaper  — 
which  standing  card,  like  the  standing  army  |  that  Kip- 
ling wrote  about,  "just  stood" — employed  a  trained  ad- 
writer  to  get  up  some  copy.  This  ice  cream  maker  had  | 
said  in  his  standing  card  that  his  ice  cream  was  "rich 
and  pure."  This  statement  was  concise  enough  to  please  | 
the  worshipers  of  brevity,  but,  unfortunately,  the  claim 
for  richness  and  purity  was  stated  in  such  a  hackneyed 
way,  having  |  been  said  in  perhaps  just  those  words  by 
thousands  of  different  advertisers,  that  it  made  httle  or 
no  impression  on  |  the  reading  pubHc.  The  ad- writer  began 
to  dig.  He  was  not  long  in  finding  out  that  this  maker's  ice 
cream  |  was,  by  several  per  cent,  richer  in  butter  fat  than 
any  other  ice  cream  made  in  that  city.  He  unearthed  | 
the  fact  that  this  ice  cream  man  made  tutti-frutti  and 
hickory  nut  flavors,  but  never  gave  any  publicity  to  |  these 
things,  thinking  that  housekeepers  knew  them.  They 
didn't.  It  was  comparatively  easy  for  this  man  with  a 
"nose  I  for  news"  to  get  ice  cream  items  that  made  inter- 
esting reading.  He  wrote  a  "Sunday-Dinner-Dessert- 
Suggestion"  advertisement  and  |  others  that  were  equally 
interesting. 

Not  long  ago  the  advertisers  of  Trinidad  Asphalt  brought 
out  the  point  that  asphalt  could  |  be  made  that  seemed 
chemically  exactly  like  the  South  American  product,  but 
went  on  to  argue  that  the  Trinidad  material  |  had  baked 
for  years  under  the  broiling  sun  of  the  tropics.  Here  was  a 
vital  fact  that  appealed  to  the  |  interest  and  reason  of  the 
readers.     (646) 

S.  Roland  Hall.     Writing  an  Advertisement 

Copyright,  1915,  by  S.  Roland  Hall 


ARTICLES    FOR    DICTATION  273 

THE  BASIS   OF   BUSINESS   REWARDS 

What  is  the  thing  for  which  employers  are  willing  to  pay 
the  highest  maiket  rate?  I  believe  it  is  judgment.  \  And 
what  is  judgment?  Webster  says  it  is  "the  faculty  of  de- 
ciding rightly,  justly,  and  wisely."  If  Webster  had  tried  | 
to  frame  a  definition  specifically  for  business,  he  could 
not  have  done  better.  The  faculty  of  deciding  rightly, 
justly,  and  |  wisely!  That,  my  friends,  is  what  the  em- 
ployer is  most  willing  to  spend  his  money  for.  Why  was 
Judge  Gary  |  made  the  head  of  the  United  States  Steel 
Corporation?  Because  he  knew  intimately  all  the  details 
of  steel-making?  No.  |  It  was  because  he  had  proved 
that  he  possessed  judgment  —  the  faculty  of  deciding 
rightly,  justly,  and  wisely.  ... 

Judgment  is  |  the  biggest  asset  a  business  man  cgui  have, 
with  the  single  exception  of  honesty.  Every  other  quahty 
for  success  may  |  be  present,  but  without  judgment  they 
do  not  carry  a  man  far.  And  what  is  the  basis  of  judgment? 
I  I  do  not  know  what  the  psychologists  would  say,  but  I 
imagine  that  there  are  three  things  on  which  it  is  |  founded. 
First  comes  knowledge.  A  problem  is  presented:  the  man 
who  is  to  solve  it  must  first  divide  it  into  |  its  factors. 
What  are  the  proved  principles  applying  to  each  part? 
...  If  you  have  learned  the  right  principles,  and  if  |  your 
mind  works  logically,  you  can  line  up  the  arguments  for 
and  against,  and  you  C£ui  apply  the  necessary  principles  | 
to  the  given  statements  of  fact.  But  does  your  mind  work 
logically?  That,  I  am  afraid,  is  where  some  of  |  us  are  weak. 
The  analysis  of  problems  —  the  clear-sighted  tearing  apart 
of  situations  in  order  to  get  at  the  |  nub  of  the  matter  — 
that  is  the  second  basis  of  judgment.  .  .  . 

There  is  still  a  third  foundation  stone  in  the  j  structure 
of  judgment.     It   is   experience.     Knowledge   and   logical 


274  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

thinking  may  be  obtained  and  developed  largely  in  the 
university.  Experience  |  is  bought  more  dearly.  Theo- 
retically, one  set  of  arguments  for  a  proposition,  when  bal- 
anced against  another  set  of  arguments,  may  |  lead  infallibly 
to  a  certain  conclusion.  Actually,  the  decision  may  not  be 
so  easily  rendered.  Only  long  contact  with  similar  |  prob- 
lems, only  thorough  knowledge  of  men,  only  long  acquaint- 
ance with  people,  with  methods,  and  with  results  can 
justify  close  judgments  |  on  many  of  the  big  problems  of 
business.  .  .  . 

If  you  plan  to  go  high  in  the  business  world  —  and  all  | 
of  you  do  —  you  will  consciously  set  about  teaching  your- 
self to  reason.  Even  in  the  small  things  of  life  you  |  will 
try  to  avoid  acting  on  impulse;  you  will  analyze,  balance, 
and  reach  decisions  so  far  as  possible  on  the  |  basis  of 
careful  judgment.  And  you  will  learn  to  do  all  this  rapidly. 
.  .  .  Most  business  decisions  must  be  quick  decisions.  |  To 
decide  quickly,  and  to  decide  rightly  a  fair  proportion  of  the 
time,  is  the  universal  characteristic  of  big  business  |  men. 

Do  not  be  impatient  if  large  salaries  and  important 
positions  do  not  come  at  once.  In  the  long  run  |  salaries  are 
pretty  well  adjusted  to  services  rendered,  and  the  services 
that  you  render  can  never  deserve  the  maximum  compen- 
sation I  until  brains  and  years  have  brought  to  you  judg- 
ment —  the  faculty  of  wise  decision  —  the  rarest  and  most 
valuable  faculty  |  in  business.     (542) 

R.  S.  Butler.    The  Basis  of  Business  Rewards,  Commerce  Magazine 

THE   BUSINESS   POSITION 

When  you  take  your  first  business  position,  it  will  prob- 
ably be  at  a  low  salary  and  the  most  valuable  thing  |  you 
will  get  for  your  first  few  months'  work  will  be  experience. 
Put  in  extra  time  on  the  job,  but  |  don't  drop  the  study  of 


ARTICLES    FOR    DICTATION  275 

your  shorthand  or  bookkeeping.  Continue  to  study  even- 
ings. Study  every  angle  of  your  employer's  business  |  too 
as  though  you  were  being  paid  the  salary  of  the  president, 
and  were  expecting  to  take  over  his  job  |  soon.  Pitch  in, 
don't  watch  the  clock,  it  won't  get  away.  Take  more 
interest  in  the  business  than  the  old  |  boss  himself.  Above 
all  things  be  thorough  in  your  work. 

"Initiative,  perseverance,  courage  and  all  other  attri- 
butes of  business  success  |  are  secondary  to  the  attribute 
of  thoroughness."  — John  Hays  Hammond. 

Use  system  in  the  routine  of  your  daily  work  at  |  the  office. 
System  means  simply  the  ability  to  get  the  thing  done; 
to  get  it  done  thoroughly,  and  to  get  |  it  done  on  time.  No 
matter  how  lowly  and  unimportant  the  task,  it  can  be  made 
to  provide  a  complete  |  training  course  in  system  and  or- 
ganization, if  its  owner  cares  to  make  it  so.      (194) 

GUIDE  TO   BUSINESS   SUCCESS 

A  few  guide  posts  to  success  in  an  office  which  have 
been  adopted  by  many  large  business  organizations  for 
employees  |  are  given  for  the  information  of  the  reader  to 
assist  him  in  being  a  success  at  this  stage  of  his  |  journey. 

Rule  1  —  We  are  all  human  and  make  mistakes.  But  a 
mistake  may  be  made  the  keystone  of  system  |  —  the 
foundation  of  success.  The  secret  is  simple:  Dont  make 
the  same  mistake  twice. 

The  misspelling  of  a  customer's  |  name  —  an  error  in 
your  form  of  address  —  an  unfulfilled  promise ;  these  are 
valuable  assets  if  they  teach  you  exactness.  |  Let  your 
mistakes  shape  your  system  and  your  system  will  prevent 
such  mistakes.  When  you  discover  a  mistake  sit  down  | 
then  and  there  and  arrange  to  prevent  its  repetition. 

Paint  it  on  your  walls ;  emblazon  it  on  your  door ;  frame  | 
it  over  your  desk;  think  it  to  yourself ;  burn  into  your  brain 


276  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

this  one  essential  to  success:   Dont  make  \  the  same  mistake 
twice. 

Rule  2  —  Don't  let  go  of  a  single  paper,  letter,  or  a  duty 
of  any  |  kind  entrusted  to  your  care  for  execution,  until 
you  have  made  a  "tickler"  memo  of  it,  so  you  can  follow  | 
it  up  to  the  end  and  know  what  becomes  of  it. 

Rule  3  —  Interview  your  "tickler"  every  morning.  Make 
it  I  the  first  "office  assistant"  you  see  and  consult  at -every 
day's  beginning.  Then  plan  your  day's  work  in  accordance 
with  I  what  the  "tickler"  tells  you  to  do  on  that  day. 

Rule  4 — After  the  "tickler"  has  been  consulted  and  you  | 
have  clearly  fixed  in  your  mind  the  important  things  that 
must  be  done  to-day,  the  new  papers  coming  over  your  | 
desk  next  deserve  attention. 

Rule  5  —  Whatever  unfinished  work  you  have  left  over 
at  night  should  always  be  left  in  |  the  upper  right-hand 
drawer  of  your  desk.  This  does  not  mean  part  of  your 
unfinished  work  —  and  the  rest  |  of  it  scattered  through 
seventeen  different  pigeon-holes.  It  means  all  of  it;  the 
first  rule  of  system  is  to  |  have  one  definite,  unvarying 
place  for  each  kind  of  work.  If  by  any  chance  you  can't 
get  it  all  I  in  the  drawer,  see  that  a  memo  is  placed  in  the 
drawer  stating  where  the  overflow  can  be  found. 

Rule  I  6  —  Men  who  make  and  break  promises  are  not 
always  men  who  are  intentionally  dishonest.  Sometimes 
they  are  simply  good-natured,  |  and  dislike  to  say  "No" 
when  asked  to  accomplish  a  given  task.  Yet  there  is  no 
worker  who  causes  |  more  trouble  for  others,  and  more 
unhappiness  for  himself,  than  the  man  who  continually 
makes  loose  agreements  without  first  carefully  |  calculat- 
ing their  feasibility.  To  break  this  habit  should  be  the 
foremost  purpose  of  the  system  man.  Let  him  resolve 
to  I  make  no  promises  that  he  can't  reasonably  fulfill  on 
schedule  time. 


ARTICLES    FOR    DICTATION  277 

The  main  reason  why  you  want  to  be  |  thorough  and 
successful  in  your  office  work  is  because  it  is  a  part  of  the 
foundation  of  your  career.  This  |  position  must  be  only 
a  stepping-stone  to  something  better,  but  you  cannot  step 
to  something  better  unless  you  have  |  done  this  task  well. 
The  time  will  come  when  you  will  say  to  your  employer 
that  you  are  going  to  |  resign  to  accept  a  better  position  and 
you  should  ask  him  to  give  you  a  letter  of  recommendation 
concerning  your  |  services  to  him.  Put  this  away  carefully 
among  your  treasures. 

When  you  are  about  to  leave  your  employer,  do  not  | 
shirk  his  work  during  the  last  week  or  last  few  days. 
Work  harder  than  ever  to  leave  everything  in  the  |  best  of 
shape  for  your  successor.  You  should  give  your  employer 
ten  days  or  a  couple  of  weeks'  notice  of  |  your  intention 
to  resign  so  that  he  may  secure  a  successor  to  fill  your 
place.  When  you  leave,  leave  with  |  the  best  wishes  of  your 
employer.     (646) 

E.  H.  Cooper.     How  to  Prepare  for  Civil  Service 


ADVERTISING   AS   A   BUSINESS   FORCE 

A  canner  of  baked  beans  had  been  advertising  for  years 
that  his  beans  were  the  best  canned  beans  that  could  |  be 
produced.  In  spite  of  careful  devising  and  skillful  execution 
of  his  advertising  plans  his  sales  increased  only  moderately. 
One  I  day  he  —  or  his  advertising  agent  for  him  —  made  an 
analysis  of  his  market.  His  methods  of  analysis  and  his  | 
figures  are  his  own  secret,  but  he  found  something  like 
this:  About  sixty  per  cent  of  the  families  in  "his  |  market" 
did  not  use  baked  beans  at  all  as  a  regular  part  of  their 
diet.  About  twenty  per  cent  preferred  |  to  bake  their  own 
beans,  and  about  ten  per  cent  were  using  his  beans,  leaving 
ten  per  cent  of  the  |  possible  trade  in  the  hands  of  his  com- 


278  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

petitors.  Then  he  saw  a  great  hght.  He  had  been  adver- 
tising merely  to  |  keep  the  ten  per  cent  of  the  possible  bean 
trade  of  his  region  which  he  already  had,  and  to  win  |  from 
his  competitors  a  share  of  another  ten  per  cent,  but  he  was 
making  no  effective  appeal  to  eighty  per  |  cent  of  the  possi- 
ble trade.  He  had  analyzed  his  product,  but  he  had  not 
made  a  study  of  his  possible  |  market. 

The  advertising  plan  was  rearranged  to  appeal  to  the  two 
great  unreached  classes  —  those  who  did  not  use  baked  | 
beans  and  those  who  baked  their  own  —  and  before  long 
the  results  were  surprisingly  good.  And  then  the  growth 
slackened.  |  A  leak  had  developed  somewhere  and  only  a 
small  part  of  the  expected  effects  of  the  advertising  came 
back  in  |  the  shape  of  business.  Another  investigation 
showed  that  the  advertising  appeal  was  not  adequately 
co-ordinated  with  the  distribution  system.  These  |  beans 
were  not  always  "present"  when  consumer-interest  became 
consumer-demand  —  when  Mrs.  Consumer  asked  her  grocer 
for  a  can  |  of  Mr.  Advertiser's  beans. 

This  was  a  more  difficult  problem  to  solve  than  the  other, 
and  the  manufacturer  is  not  |  at  all  sure  that  he  has  it 
solved  even  yet.  At  least  he  is  skeptical  about  the  perma- 
nence of  his  I  solution.  But  he  is  sure  that  his  advertising  is 
giving  him  results  far  better  than  those  he  secured  when 
he  I  based  his  plans  on  one  or  two  instead  of  all  three  of  the 
elements  of  the  situation  —  the  goods,  the  |  market,  and 
the  system  of  distribution.  He  now  sees  advertising  in  its 
various  aspects  as  a  business  force. 

Advertising  as  |  a  business  force  is  the  theme  of  this 
study.  It  is  our  plan  to  investigate  this  side  of  the  sub- 
ject I  by  examining  concrete  cases  chosen  from  such  records 
as  an)  available.  Advertising  technique  we  shall  study  only 
incidentally,  leaving  a  |  detailed  discussion  to  others. 

Furthermore,  we  shall  seek  to  simplify  our  study  by  con- 


ARTICLES   FOR    DICTATION  279 

fining  our  attention  to  the  advertising  problems  |  connected 
with  the  sale  of  those  articles  which  find  their  final  outlet 
in  consumption  in  small  units  —  goods  finally  sold  |  at  retail. 

We  shall  try  to  find  what  is  true  in  this  field  first,  rather 
than  to  generaUze  over  all  |  the  possible  fields  of  advertising 
activity.  If  we  can  find  how  advertising  is  tied  up  with 
the  various  steps  in  |  distributing  hardware,  groceries,  dry 
goods,  drugs,  and  the  like,  we  may  establish  principles 
which  can  be  traced  as  working  in  |  community  publicity, 
railway  advertising,  and  the  other  fields  where  the  desired 
ends  are  attained  by  more  indirect  methods. 

A  good  I  chess  player  never  forgets  that  he  is  in  the  game 
for  one  thing.  He  w  ants  to  checkmate  his  opponent's  king.  | 
He  may  be  able  to  do  it  in  two  moves,  or  he  may  take  a 
hundred  moves  to  do  it.  |  But  that  one  thing  is  what  he  is 
after.  And  so  the  good  advertiser  never  loses  sight  of  the 
fact  I  that  he  is  aiming  finally  at  sales.  He  may  be  moving 
the  pawn  of  general  publicity,  he  may  be  protecting  |  a 
castle  of  fixed  price,  he  may  be  making  any  one  of  a  thousand 
advertising  moves,  but  ultimately  he  expects  |  his  advertis- 
ing by  its  effects  on  sales  to  make  his  business  bigger,  or 
steadier,  or  more  permanent,  or  more  profitable,  |  or  all  of 
these  together.     (685) 

P.  T.  Cherington.     Advertising  as  a  Business  Force 

Copyright,  1913.  by  the  Associated  Advertising  Club  of  the  World.  All 
rights  reserved,  including  that  of  translation  into  foreign  languages  including 
the  Scandanavian. 

INTERPRETATIVE   FUNCTION    OF   THE   ACCOUNTANT 

Students  of  bookkeeping  should  realize  that  the  mechani- 
cal routine  work  of  recording  transactions  is  but  a  stepping- 
stone  to  the  I  larger,  broader  field  of  accounting. 

The  subject  of  accounting  may  be  divided  into  four 
paits  —  constructive,  recording,  analytical,  and  interpreta- 


280  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

live.  I  Under  the  first  division  is  included  the  designing  of 
accounting  systems  and  the  preparation  of  financial  state- 
ments. The  systems  designed  |  may  be  the  forms,  records, 
and  accounts  to  be  used  for  obtaining  the  general  financial 
condition  of  a  concern  or  |  for  arriving  at  its  cost  of  pro- 
duction. Bookkeeping  is  the  recording  division  of  account- 
ing and  consists  of  making  entries  in  |  the  designed  system, 
so  that  the  assets,  liabilities,  losses  and  gains  of  the  busi- 
ness may  be  determined. 

The  third  division  |  of  accounting  is  usually  called  audit- 
ing, and  for  the  most  part  concerns  itself  with  the  verifica- 
tion of  entries  already  made  |  in  the  books  of  account. 
Investigations  as  to  the  value  of  a  business  are  also  included 
under  the  general  term  |  of  auditing,  since  the  accountant 
must  analyze  the  conditions  of  a  business  in  order  to  deter- 
mine its  value. 

The  fourth  |  division  of  accounting  consists  of  inter- 
preting the  records  of  the  past  so  that  they  may  be  used 
as  a  basis  |  in  determining  the  administrative  policies  of 
the  future.  It  is  not  sufficient  to  know  that  past  transac- 
tions are  properly  recorded  |  in  books  of  account.  These 
summarized  bookkeeping  facts  for  past  periods  indicate 
the  result  of  the  administrative  policies  in  force  |  during 
those  periods.  The  business  man  who  fails  to  utilize  this 
information  in  deciding  future  policies  deprives  himself  of 
one  I  of  the  surest  and  safest  methods  of  determining  the 
proper  path. 

The  interpretation  of  the  results  of  past  policies  is  |  par- 
ticularly fascinating  in  that  the  work  is  constantly  changing 
and  demands  the  most  careful  attention  of  the  business 
executive.  It  |  is  this  phase  of  the  subject  of  accounting 
that  the  student  of  bookkeeping  should  always  keep  in 
mind.     (318) 

F.  H.  Elwell,     Principles  of  Bookkeeping 


ARTICLES    FOR    DICTATION  281 

THE   RETAIL   STORE 

It  is  readily  seen  that  one  of  the  most  important  sources 
of  the  competitive  strength  of  the  specialty  store  lies  |  in 
its  convenience  to  the  public.  The  great  department  stores 
do  a  large  business  in  groceries,  meats,  household  equip- 
ment, clothing,  I  and  other  staples;  but  it  would  be  hard 
to  conceive  of  a  city  in  which  a  few  great  central  depart- 
ment I  stores  could  monopolize  this  type  of  business.  The 
"corner"  grocery  store,  the  local  drug  store,  the  exclusive 
haberdashery,  the  specialty  |  shoe  shop,  offer  conveniences 
that  the  public  demands.  In  outlying  districts  these  small 
specialty  shops  serve  as  neighborhood  centers;  in  |  the 
down-town  districts  they  have  an  appeal  all  their  own. 
They  exist  because  a  large  proportion  of  the  buying  |  pub- 
lic finds  that  they  offer  conveniences  in  immediate  delivery, 
personal  service,  complete  stocks,  etc.,  that  many  depart- 
ment stores  cannot  |  in  the  nature  of  things  offer. 

The  specialty  store  also  can  often  offer  a  complete  stock 
in  its  one  line,  |  as  against  the  more  restricted  stocks  in 
many  lines  of  the  average  department  store.  This  advan- 
tage is  not  universal,  however.  |  One  large  department 
store  in  Chicago,  for  instance,  carries  a  larger  stock  of 
jewelry  than  all,  except  two  or  three,  |  of  the  lai'gest  spe- 
cialty jewelry  shops.  But  it  is  to  be  expected  generally  that 
the  progressive  store  owner  who  gives  |  his  entire  thought 
to  one  kind  of  goods  will  be  able  to  offer  customers  a  larger 
assortment  of  those  goods  |  than  the  paid  buyer  of  a  small 
section  in  a  large  department  store. 

The  specialty  store  owner  should  be  able  |  to  offer  his 
customer  a  more  personal  service  than  can  be  offered  by 
the  department  store.  He  knows  many  of  |  his  customers 
personally;  he  usually  relies  less  on  transient  trade;  and 
he  is  in  better  position  to  select  a  stock  |  that  will  meet 
the  requirements  of  a  known  market.    The  personal  touch  is 


282  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

of  great  importance  in  business.  The  owner's  |  personality 
has  made  many  successful  specialty  stores.  To  be  sure, 
there  is  almost  an  equal  opportunity  for  the  capitalization 
of  I  personality  on  the  part  of  the  section  buyer  in  a  de- 
partment store.  Yet  it  is  less  difficult  for  the  small  |  store 
owner  to  impress  his  personality  and  his  methods  upon  his 
subordinates  than  it  is  for  a  superior  to  do  |  the  same  thing 
in  a  great  system-ruled  department  store. 

Inasmuch  as  the  specialty  store  owner  usually  knows  his 
trade  |  and  can  readily  adjust  his  stock  to  known  needs, 
he  should  be  able  to  carry  relatively  smaller  stocks  and 
thereby  |  turn  his  capital  faster  than  the  department  store 
buyer  whose  market  is  wider  and  less  stable.  Perhaps  this 
is  more  |  a  theoretical  than  an  actual  advantage,  because 
we  find  that  the  record  for  turnovers  is  held  usually  by 
department  stores.  |  The  opportunity  is  the  greater,  how- 
ever, for  the  specialty  store  owner  who  is  of  equal  caliber 
with  the  department  store  |  man.     (481) 

R.  S.  Butler.     Marketing  Methods 
Copyright,  1917,  by  Alexander  Hamilton  Institute 

THE   JOBBER'S   SERVICE 

Although  the  fact  that  the  jobber  lowers  the  cost  of 
wholesale  distribution  of  many  manufactured  articles  is  an 
important  point  |  in  his  defense,  his  chief  justification  is 
found  in  the  fact  that  his  services  make  possible  the  exist- 
ence of  the  I  thousands  of  neighborhood  retail  stores  which 
our  buying  habits  demand.  The  best  way  to  understand 
what  the  jobber  does  for  |  the  retailer  is  to  imagine  a  typical 
successful  store  of  the  smaller  sort  —  a  neighborhood  gro- 
cery store,  for  example.  This  |  store  has  on  its  shelves  one 
thousand  or  more  different  kinds  and  brands  of  goods.  They 
are  usually  made  by  |  several  hundred  different  manufac- 


ARTICLES    FOR    DICTATION  283 

turers.  The  store  has  been  buying  its  stock  from  three  or 
four  jobbers.  Now  suppose  that  all  |  the  jobbers  are  elimi- 
nated overnight.  The  retail  merchant  wakes  up  some 
morning  to  find  that  there  are  no  more  jobbers;  |  he  must 
buy  every  item  in  his  stock  direct  from  the  manufacturer. 
What  would  be  the  effect? 

The  retailer  in  |  such  a  case  would  have  great  difficulty 
in  keeping  complete  stocks  in  any  line.  When  buying  from 
a  jobber,  he  |  can  keep  a  memorandum  of  needed  suppUes, 
and  give  a  lump  order  when  the  jobber's  salesman  makes 
his  rounds.  Even  |  with  this  easy  method  of  ordering,  the 
average  retailer  finds  it  exceedingly  difficult  always  to  have 
on  hand  a  supply  |  of  even  the  commonest  staples.  With 
no  jobber  to  supply  him,  the  necessity  of  constant  reorder- 
ing from  many  manufacturers  would  |  be  an  obstacle  to 
the  retailer's  success  which  could  be  avoided  only  by  an 
elaborate  and  expensive  system  of  stock  |  records  and  pur- 
chasing procedure. 

The  actual  time  spent  in  seeing  the  salesmen  of  several 
hundred  manufacturers  or  in  ordering  from  |  their  cata- 
logues would  be  enormous.  Under  the  jobbing  system,  the 
retailer  finds  that  a  great  part  of  his  time  is  |  taken  up  with 
seeing  competing  jobbers'  representatives  and  the  salesmen 
of  the  comparatively  small  number  of  manufacturers  that 
sell  direct.  |  With  the  jobber  eliminated,  only  the  largest 
stores,  employing  many  responsible  buyers,  could  survive. 

The  retailer  would  have  great  difficulty  |  in  keeping  a 
well-selected  and  a  well-balanced  stock.  The  average  dealer, 
necessarily  without  specific  knowledge  of  the  quality  |  and 
selling  value  of  every  competing  line  in  his  stock,  would 
be  importuned  constantly  by  a  horde  of  salesmen  to  | 
stock  large  quantities  of  one  line  at  the  expense' of  another. 
One  of  the  greatest  services  rendered  by  the  jobber  |  is 
the  aid  his  salesmen  give  the  retailer  in  keeping  a  carefully 


284  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

selected,  carefully  balanced  stock  of  goods.  The  jobber  | 
is  keenly  aware  of  the  necessity  of  cultivating  the  continued 
good  will  of  his  trade;  he  knows  that  his  own  |  success 
depends  on  each  of  his  customers;  he  knows  that  the 
secret  of  retail  success  is  largely  a  matter  of  |  minimum 
stocks,  quick  turnovers  of  capital,  and  frequent  purchases. 
With  the  jobber  gone,  it  is  not  to  be  expected  that  |  each 
one  of  a  multitude  of  competing  manufacturers  would  have 
the  same  solicitude  for  the  individual  retailer's  continued 
success  that  |  the  jobber  now  has  for  his  customers.  The 
jobber  ordinarily  does  not  push  any  one  kind  of  goods. 
He  tries  |  to  build  up  the  retailer's  business  as  a  whole,  and 
he  renders  valuable  service  by  aiding  him  with  all  kinds  | 
of  buying  and  selling  plans. 

In  many  lines  the  retailer  dealing  direct  with  the  manu- 
facturer would  have  to  purchase  in  |  much  larger  quanti- 
ties than  if  he  bought  from  the  jobber,  because  the  solici- 
tation of  small  orders  would  not  pay  the  |  small  one-line 
manufacturer.  The  dealer  would  require  larger  capital 
than  is  now  needed  in  his  business.  If  his  business  | 
remained  of  the  same  size  he  would  have  more  capital  tied 
up  in  goods,  he  could  turn  his  capital  less  |  frequently,  £uid 
consequently  his  profits  would  be  lower.  He  would  either 
have  to  go  out  of  business  or  his  prices  |  to  his  customers 
would  have  to  be  greatly  increased. 

Larger  purchases  in  each  line  would  require  increased 
storage  space.  The  |  small  dealer  now  relies  on  the  jobber 
to  carry  his  surplus  stock  for  him.  The  warehouse  function 
of  the  jobber  |  thus  works  to  the  great  advantage  of  manu- 
facturer and  retailer  alike.  As  has  already  been  said,  the 
wise  dealer  buys  |  often  and  in  small  quantities,  and  not 
only  turns  his  capital  many  times  a  year,  but  also  does 
business  with  |  a  minimum  of  overhead  expense.  Greater 
warehouse  charges  would  increase  his  own  cost  of  doing 


ARTICLES    FOR    DICTATION  285 

business,  and  would  be  reflected  |  either  in  his  prices  to 
the  pubHc  or  in  decreased  profit  for  himself. 

Without  the  jobber  there  would  probably  be  |  a  cessa- 
tion of  the  credit  arrangement  through  which  the  jobber 
furnishes  many  a  retailer  with  most  of  the  capital  with  | 
which  he  conducts  his  business.  The  struggling  merchant 
who  shows  ability  can  usually  find  some  jobber  to  back  him 
until  I  he  gets  on  his  feet.  In  every  town  there  are  retailers 
who  would  have  to  close  their  doors  to-morrow  if  |  it  were 
not  for  the  leniency  and  good  will  of  a  jobber.  The 
jobber  often  extends  the  retailer  credit,  not  |  from  mere 
good  nature,  but  because  it  is  good  business  to  help  the 
man  who  gives  evidence  of  being  able  |  to  succeed.  With 
the  withdrawal  of  the  jobber  and  the  keen  desire  of  many 
competing  manufacturers  to  get  their  money  |  without  delay 
and  without  risk  of  loss,  the  average  man  desiring  to  go 
into  business  would  be  unable  to  command  |  enough  capital 
to  conduct  a  retail  store.     (907) 

R.  S.  Butler.     Marketing  Methods 
Copyright,  1917,  by  Alexander  Hamilton  Institute 

CAPITAL   SAVED   BY  BEING   CONSUMED 

Capital  is  as  truly  consumed  as  any  other  form  of  wealth, 
and  exists  only  for  that  purpose.  The  only  difference  |  is 
that  consumption  in  this  case  does  not  result  in  satisfac- 
tion of  a  human  want,  but  in  the  production  of  |  a  new  good 
into  which  passes  the  value  of  the  capital  consumed.  The 
widespread  impression  that  it  is  better  for  |  a  man  to  spend 
his  substance  in  riotous  living  than  to  save  it  rests  in  part 
upon  this  truth.  Wealth  |  plainly  does  not  perform  its 
function  when  hoarded,  and  the  popular  objection  to  hoard- 
ing is  certainly  justified  in  part.  Wealth  |  is  lost  for  the 
time  being  when  it  is  simply  hoarded.     Only  when  it  is 


286  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

employed  can  we  call  it  |  truly  saved.  But  while  this  is 
true  it  by  no  means  follows  that  all  using  of  wealth  is  ad- 
vantageous to  I  the  community.  The  man  who  uses  his 
wealth  in  such  a  way  that  a  hundred  men  are  induced  to 
work  I  for  a  week  in  preparing  a  feast  which  goes  in  a 
night  does  not  profit  the  community.  That  labor  does  | 
not  produce  anything  which  the  community  can  enjoy, 
only  a  feast  for  a  prodigal.  The  fact  that  he  pays  them  | 
for  their  work  only  means  that  he  enables  them  to  get  a 
share  of  the  community's  stock  of  goods,  but  |  he  does 
nothing  to  increase  that  stock.  We  see,  therefore,  that 
it  is  the  productive  use  of  wealth,  its  use  |  as  capital,  which 
benefits  the  community.  Luxury  and  poverty  have  gone 
hand  in  hand  all  through  human  history.     (258) 

Richard  T.  Ely.     Outlines  of  Economics 
Copyright,  1893,  by  Hunt  &  Eaton 

DIVISION   OF   LABOR 

A  characteristic  feature  of  the  organization  of  the  factors 
in  the  present  stage  of  industrial  enterprises  is  what  is  com- 
monly I  cajled  a  division  of  labor,  but  which  might  with 
equal  propriety  be  called  a  co-operation  of  labor.  Produc- 
tive processes,  especially  |  in  manufactures,  are  divided  into 
minute  parts,  and  one  part,  or  perhaps  two  or  three  very 
small  parts,  given  to  |  each  laborer.  One  man  makes  one 
little  part  of  a  watch,  another  a  second,  and  there  are  so 
many  little  |  parts  that  it  is  said  that  it  requires  the  co-opera- 
tion of  at  least  three  hundred  persons  to  organize  properly 
a  I  watchmaking  establishment.  There  are  sixty  or  seventy 
distinct  branches  in  the  manufacture  of  a  piano,  and  as  many 
in  the  |  manufacture  of  a  boot.  But  the  word  co-operation 
used  shows  that  the  men  are  working  together.  The  parts 
divided  must  |  be  united  to  form  one  whole.     When  the 


ARTICLES    FOR    DICTATION  287 

phrase  division  of  labor  is  used,  we  look  at  one  side  of  |  the 
process;  when  the  word  co-operation,  at  another.  Division 
of  labor,  machinery,  and  the  use  of  natural  powers,  like 
water,  |  steam,  and  electricity,  are  the  chief  part  of  the 
explanation  of  the  marvelous  increase  in  the  productivity 
of  the  productive  |  factors,  one  man  performing  the  labor 
now  which  formerly  required  the  labor  of  ten,  one  hundred, 
or  even  a  thousand  |  men.     (221) 

ADVANTAGES    OF   DIVISION   OF   LABOR 

The  advantages  of  a  division  of  labor  have  been  enu- 
merated as  follows:  First,  a  gain  of  time.  A  change  of  | 
operations  costs  time.  Less  time  also  is  consumed  in  learn- 
ing one's  business,  as  the  labor  of  each  is  more  simple.  | 
Second,  greater  skill  is  acquired,  because  each  person  con- 
fines himself  to  one  operation  and  in  that  becomes  remark- 
ably proficient.  Third,  |  labor  is  used  more  advantageously. 
Some  parts  of  an  industrial  process  can  be  performed  by 
a  weak  person,  others  require  |  unusual  physical  strength; 
some  require  extraordinary  intelligence,  some  can  be  per- 
formed by  a  man  of  very  ordinary  intellectual  powers,  and  | 
so  on  indefmitely.  Each  one  is  so  employed  that  his 
entire  power  is  utilized,  and  work  is  found  for  all,  |  young 
and  old,  weak  and  strong,  stupid  and  intellectually  gifted. 
Fourth,  inventions  are  more  frequent,  because  the  indus- 
trial processes  are  |  so  divided  that  it  is  easy  to  see  just 
where  an  improvement  is  possible.  Besides  this,  when  a 
person  is  |  exclusively  engaged  in  one  simple  operation  he 
often  reflects  on  this,  understands  it  thoroughly,  and  sees 
how  the  appliances  he  |  uses  could  be  improved.  Work- 
men have  made  many  important  inventions.  Fifth,  capital 
is  better  utilized.  Each  workman  uses  one  set  |  of  tools 
or  one  part  of  a  set,  and  keeps  that  employed  all  the  time. 


288  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

When  each  workman  does  many  |  things  he  has  many  tools, 
and  some  are  always  idle.     (230) 

Richard  T.  Ely.     Outlines  of  Economics 
Copyright,  1893,  by  Hunt  &  Eaton 

AMERICAN   INDUSTRIAL   DEMOCRACY 

In  no  war  that  ever  occurred  have  the  Government  and 
the  workingmen  joined  together  as  they  are  doing  in  the  | 
United  States  to-day.  In  every  department  of  our  Govern- 
ment that  employs  labor,  or  fixes  the  prices  that  manu- 
facturers charge,  or  |  the  wages  that  employers  pay,  a 
leading  representative  of  labor  is  on  the  committee,  and 
he  has  as  much  power  |  as  the  representative  of  the  capi- 
talists. The  president  of  the  United  Mine  Workers  of 
America  is  assistant  to  Garfield,  the  |  Fuel  Administrator. 
The  president  of  the  Building  Trades  Department  of  the 
American  Federation  of  Labor  is  on  the  Emergency  Con- 
struction I  Board  for  building  ships;  a  leading  organizer  of 
the  American  Federation  of  Labor  is  on  the  great  War 
Industries  Board  |  which  controls  all  kinds  of  manufacturing ; 
a  trade  unionist  is  Secretary  of  Labor. 

These  and  many  other  trade  union  officials  |  were  named 
and  placed  there  by  the  trade  unions  themselves,  because 
these   war    boards   have   become    the    big  employers   of  | 
labor,  or  else  they  have  control  over  the  wages  that  private 
employers  pay. 

AU  through  these  industries  of  the  country  |  President 
Wilson  is  enforcing,  as  fast  as  the  boards  can  get  to  it,  the 
eight-hour  day  and  time  and  |  one-half  for  overtime. 

Agreements  with  the  unions  also  provide  that  wages  shall 
be  revised  just  as  fast  as  |  the  cost  of  living  goes  up,  so  that 
they  will  always  keep  ahead  of  the  cost. 

But  most  important  of  |  all,  these  agreements  with  the 
trade  unions  give  the  same  wages  and  hours  to  non-union 


ARTICLES    FOR    DICTATION 


289 


Style  IX.  —  SALES   LETTER-HEAD 

Note  illustrations  used  at  top  and  bottom  of  sheet;    note  also  that 
in  this  form  letter  the  address  is  not  filled  in. 


Frank  E.Davis  Company 

Salt  Mackerel 
Codfish,  Fresh  Lobster.  Etc. 

Gloucester.Mass 

AufUit  d,   1918. 


Ife'i.,  t,  in 

that  good  uic.i 

feel  that  you  i 

fish  4iOr«  oftor. 


i  ti.at  is  FISH. 
Red  Alaska 
1^^  sale  ia  re- 
present at 
olanty  Cf 

;  Mil 


ill  enjoy  Is  an 
jLlfish  flaked 
f9w  toiled 
^  fat  served 


There '  s  r. 

-:i      -bst.jr 

'ir.  quita    3jre 
■\lftis    than 
f,:-3St    tha 

if    J 

111 

intry 

^BD-'F-T 

■    ...    i.dvis  CoBpany. 

P.S. 

It's    n    "    -,- 

-lirr    !>T-fflPsi.d'      I   think 

■;j   Ki^ht  from 

■  !'e  Fishuxg  Boats 
to  Vjovi 

« 


290  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

men.  All  labor  in  this  |  country  is  benefiting  because 
organized  labor  is  actually  taking  its  part  in  running  the 
Government. 

The  manufacture  of  army  clothing  |  is  taken  out  of  sweat- 
shops, and  minimum  wages  for  women  are  fixed,  with  the 
well-known  woman  organizer  of  |  the  Consumers'  League 
in  charge.  The  Government  is  stopping  child  labor  in  £iU 
factories  throughout  the  country. 

Nothing  like  it  |  ever  happened  before,  and  anybody  who 
says  that  this  is  a  capitalistic  war  simply  does  not  see  what 
is  going  I  on.  Never  before  has  democracy  for  wage-earn- 
ing men  and  Avomen  made  anywhere  near  the  progress  that 
it  has  made  |  in  the  nine  months  of  this  war.  If  this  is  a 
capitalist's  war  it  is  just  as  much  a  workingmeui's  |  war, 
conducted  for  workingmen,  by  workingmen.  CapitaUsts 
are  being  controlled  in  their  profits,  and  in  the  wages  and 
hours  of  I  their  laborers,  with  the  help  of  leaders  whom  the 
workingmen  themselves  have  put  there.  The  President  of 
the  United  States  |  attends  the  great  convention  of  organ- 
ized labor  at  Buffalo,  and  notifies  all  employers  of  his  stand 
for  labor's  claims.  If  |  American  labor  continues  as  it  has 
begun,  it  wiU  come  out  of  this  war  with  the  universal 
eight-hour  day  |  and  with  as  much  power  to  fix  its  own 
wages  by  its  own  representatives  as  employers  have.  And 
employers  are  |  co-operating  with  labor  for  the  common 
purpose  of  winning  the  war. 

No  wonder  that  the  American  Federation  of  Labor,  as  | 
is  shown  by  the  vote  at  the  recent  Buffalo  convention,  sup- 
ports the  war  almost  unanimously  and  stands  for  fighting 
it  I  out  to  the  limit,  almost  to  a  man. 

Its  members  know  that  this  is  really  a  war  for  democ- 
racy, because  |  they  are  taking  part  in  it,  and  are  sharing  in 
the  conduct  of  it.  They  see  how  it  works  from  |  the  inside 
every  day  in  the  week.    Never  before  was  a  war  carried  on 


ARTICLES    FOR    DICTATION  291 

by  workingmen  to  the  extent  that  |  this  war  is  being  carried 
on.  And  never  before,  in  war  or  in  peace,  was  the  voice  of 
labor  in  |  government  so  powerful  as  it  is  now  in  America. 
Any  workingman  in  Wisconsin  or  any  other  state  who 
backs  off  I  at  this  time  and  refuses  to  stand  by  the  great 
majority  of  his  fellow  workingmen  who  are  doing  this 
great  |  work  for  labor,  is  injuring  himself  and  his  brothers. 
A  democracy  in  which  the  wage-earner  has  his  share  of  | 
influence  is  coming ;  and  if  it  does  not  come  as  it  should,  the 
reason  will  be  that  some  wage  earners  |  cu^e  misled  and  don't 
know  democracy  when  they  see  it,  or  don't  support  it  when 
they  know  it.     (698) 

John  R.  Cojvimons.     War  Book  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin 


KNOWLEDGE   VIEWED   IN   RELATION   TO   PROFESSIONAL 

SKILL 

If  then  a  practical  end  must  be  assigned  to  a  University 
course,  I  say  it  is  that  of  training  good  |  members  of  society. 
Its  art  is  the  art  of  social  life,  and  its  end  is  fitness  for  the 
world.  It  I  neither  confines  its  views  to  particular  profes- 
sions on  the  one  hand,  nor  creates  heroes  or  inspires  genius 
on  the  other.  |  Works  indeed  of  genius  fall  under  no  art; 
heroic  minds  come  under  no  rule;  a  university  is  not  a 
birthplace  |  of  poets  or  of  immortal  authors,  or  founders  of 
schools,  leaders  of  colonies,  or  conquerors  of  nations.  It 
does  not  |  promise  a  generation  of  Aristotles  or  New  tons,  of 
Napoleons  or  Washingtons,  of  Raphaels  or  Shakespeares, 
though  such  miracles  of  nature  |  it  has  before  now  con- 
tained within  its  precincts.  Nor  is  it  content  on  the  other 
hand  with  forming  the  critic  |  or  the  experimentalist,  the 
economist  or  the  engineer,  though  such  too  it  includes 
within  its  scope.  But  a  university  training  |  is  the  great 
ordinary  means  to  a  great  but  ordineu'y  end;    it  aims  at 


292  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

raising  the  intellectual  tone  of  society,  |  at  cultivating  the 
public  mind,  at  purifying  the  national  taste,  at  supplying 
true  principles  to  popular  enthusiasm  and  fixed  aims  |  to 
popular  aspiration,  at  giving  enlargement  and  sobriety  to 
the  ideas  of  the  age,  at  facilitating  the  exercise  of  political  | 
power,  and  refining  the  intercourse  of  private  life.     It  is 
the  education  which  gives  a  man  a  clear  conscious  view  j 
of  his  own  opinions  and  judgments,  a  truth  in  developing 
them,  an  eloquence  in  expressing  them,  and  a  force  in  | 
urging  them.     It  teaches  him  to  see  things  as  they  are, 
to  go  right  to  the  point,  to  disentangle  a  |  skein  of  thought, 
to  detect  what  is  sophistical,  and  to  discard  what  is  irrele- 
vant.    It  prepares  him  to  fill  any  |  post  with  credit,   and 
to  master  any  subject  with  facility.     It  shows  him  how  to 
accommodate   himself   to   others,    how  |  to   throw   himself 
into  their  state  of  mind,  how  to  bring  before  them  his  own, 
how  to  influence  them,  how  |  to  come  to  an  understanding 
with  them,  how  to  bear  with  them.    He  is  at  home  in  any 
society,    he  |  has    common    ground    with    every    class;     he 
knows  when  to  speak  and  when  to  be  silent;  he  is  able  to  | 
converse,  he  is  able  to  listen;   he  can  ask  a  question  per- 
tinently, and  gain  a  lesson  seasonably,  when  he  has  |  noth- 
ing to  impart  himself;    he  is  ever  ready,  yet  never  in  the 
way;    he  is  a  pleasant  companion,   and  a  |  comrade  you 
can  depend  upon;   he  knows  when  to  be  serious  and  when 
to  trifle,  and  he  has  a  sure  |  tact  which  enables  him   to 
trifle  with  gracefulness  and  to  be  serious  with  eff'ect.     He 
has  the  repose  of  a  |  mind  which  lives  in  itself,  while  it  lives 
in  the  world,  and  which  has  resources  for  its  happiness  at 
home  I  when  it  cannot  go  abroad.   He  has  a  gift  which  serves 
him  in  public,  and  supports  him  in  retirement,  without  | 
which  good  fortune  is  but  vulgar,  and  with  which  failure 
and  disappointment  have  a  charm.     The  art  which  tends 
to  I  make  a  man  all  this,  is  in  the  object  which  it  pursues 


ARTICLES    FOR    DICTATION  293 

as  useful  as  the  art  of  wealth  or  |  the  art  of  health,  though 
it  is  less  susceptible  of  method,  and  less  tangible,  less 
certain,  less  complete  in  its  |  result.     (561) 

John  Henry  Newman 


WORK   OF   THE   PLANNING   DEPARTMENT 
lUustraling  Modern  Scientific  Management 

Q.   You  said,  Mr.  Scheel,  you  were  the  head  of  the  plan- 
ning department.     I  wish  you  would  describe  or  state  | 
what  that  planning  department  consists  of,  who  the  mem- 
bers are,  and  their  various  functions. 

A.  The  planning  department  consists  of  |  those  of  the 
staff  of  the  factory.  It  consists  of  the  routing  clerk,  a  cost 
clerk  — 

Q.    (interrupting).     You  are  |  the  head.^ 

A.   Yes. 

Q.   You  are  called  the  head.^ 

A.   Yes. 

Q.   WTiat  is  the  next  person.^ 

A.  The  I  man  sitting  next  to  me  is  the  cost  clerk  or  the 
cost  accountant  clerk.  He  is  assisted  by  a  cost  |  clerk,  who 
works  up  the  preliminary  figures  for  him. 

Q.   What  does  the  cost  clerk  or  the  cost  accountant  do.^  | 

A.  The  cost  accountant  draws  conclusions  from  time 
cards,  store  cards,  memorandum  of  the  cotton  used  and 
the  distribution  of  |  expense  to  the  different  kinds  of  fabric 
and  accounts  generally. 

Q.  He  is  currently  keeping  daily  the  cost  of  the  |  article 
produced,  is  he.^ 

A.  Yes,  so  that  some  result  may  be  attained.  The  fun- 
damental figures  are  worked  up  daily.  |  The  results  are 
worked  up  monthly  or  every  six  months. 


294  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

Q.  Next  to  the  cost  accountant  is  the  cost  clerk.  |  What 
is  the  next  person? 

A.   The  routing  clerk,  for  the  latter  portion  of  the  mill. 

Q.   Is  there  more  |  than  one  routing  clerk  .^ 

A.  Yes,  there  are  two  routing  clerks.  There  is  one  for 
the  weaving  room  and  the  |  departments  allied  to  it  — 

Q.    (interrupting).     The  finishing.^ 

A.  The  finishing  and  the  warping  and  winding,  where  the 
warps  are  |  prepared  and  where  the  filling  is  prepared. 
The  other  routing  clerk  directs  the  manufacture  as  to  kind 
in  the  card  |  room  and  spinning  room  and  twisters. 

Q.   What  does  the  routing  clerk  do.^ 

A.  He  keeps  a  schedule  showing  what  |  work  is  in  pro- 
cess and  what  work  is  planned  for. 

Q.  That  is,  he  makes  up  really  the  time-table,  |  does  he, 
of  all  the  work  as  it  goes  through  these  eighteen  different 
departments  .*^ 

A.   Yes. 

Q.  And  there  are  |  stations  at  which  they  are  due  right 
through  these  departments? 

A.   Yes. 

Q.  And  he  is  keeping  all  the  time  |  records  as  to  just  what 
there  is  at  each  station  as  it  comes  along? 

A,   Yes. 

Q.   Whether  it  is  |  on  time  or  overdue? 

A.   Yes,  or  ready  in  preparation. 

Q.   What  is  the  next  official? 

A.   There  is  a  |  balance-of-stores  clerk  in  the  office. 

Q.   What  does  he  do? 

A.  All  stores  are  issued  on  cards,  cards  |  showing  the 
taking  out  of  stores.  All  receipts  and  all  orders  pass  through 
his  desk.  He  keeps  the  tonnage  balance  |  of  materials  in 
stores. 

Q.  He  is  the  one  who  keeps  account  of  just  what  there  is 
at  all  times,  |  so  he  may  determine  what  there  should  be? 


ARTICLES    FOR    DICTATION  295 

A.    Yes. 

Q.   The  next  one  is  what? 

A.  The  timekeepers.  |  There  are  four  of  them  They 
work  up  the  time  cards.  Their  work  is  finished  when  the 
entry  is  made  |  on  the  pay  roll,  and  the  entries  for  the  day 
on  the  pay  roll  checked. 

Q.   What  next.^ 

A.   There  |  are  the  investigators. 

Q.   How  many  of  them  are  there  .►^ 

A.   There  are  six. 

Q.    Six  investigators,  and  what  are  |  their  duties.'^ 

A.   They  are  engaged  in  investigating  problems  in  vari- 
ous parts  of  the  mill,  all  the  time  studying  and  |  working 
in  the  training  of  the  workmen  to  bring  them  up  to  the 
standard.    That  about  covers  it,  I  think.  | 

Q.  The  gang  boss  is  doing  the  training  of  the  workmen, 
is  he  not.^ 

A.  Not  initially,  necessarily,  but  the  |  gang  boss  does 
that  currently.  When  a  thing  is  once  established,  the  out- 
side people  keep  going,  but  the  investigator  is  |  a  superior 
brain  that  gets  it  started  and  makes  the  preHminaiy  studies 
and  investigation.     (634) 

Brandeis.     Scientific  Management  and  Railroads 
By  permission,  The  Engineering  IVIagazine  Company 

A  PORTION    OF   THE   ADDRESS    OF   THE   PRESIDENT 
OF  THE   UNITED   STATES 

Delivered  at  Washiington,  Flag  Day,  June  14,  1917 

The  mihtary  masters  under  whom  Germany  is  bleeding 
see  very  clearly  to  what  point  Fate  has  brought  them.  If 
they  I  fall  back  or  are  forced  back  an  inch,  their  power  both 
abroad  and  at  home  will  fall  to  pieces  hke  |  a  house  of  cards. 
It  is  their  power  at  home  they  are  thinking  about  now  more 


296  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

than  their  power  abroad.  |  It  is  that  power  which  is  trem- 
bhng  under  their  very  feet ;  and  deep  fear  has  entered  their 
hearts.  They  have  |  but  one  chance  to  perpetuate  their 
mihtary  power  or  even  their  controUing  poHtical  influence. 
If  they  can  secure  peace  now  |  with  the  immense  advan- 
tages still  in  their  hands  which  they  have  up  to  this  pdint 
apparently  gained,  they  will  have  |  justified  themselves  be- 
fore the  German  people:  they  will  have  gained  by  force 
what  they  promised  to  gain  by  it:  an  |  immense  expansion 
of  German  power,  an  immense  enlargement  of  German 
industrial  and  commercial  opportunities.  Their  prestige 
will  be  secure,  and  |  with  their  prestige  their  political  power. 
If  they  fail,  their  people  will  thrust  them  aside;  a  govern- 
ment accountable  to  the  |  people  themselves  will  be  set  up 
in  Germany  as  it  has  been  in  England,  in  the  United  States, 
in  France,  |  and  in  all  the  great  countries  of  the  modern 
time  except  Germany.  If  they  succeed  they  are  safe  and 
Germany  |  and  the  world  are  undone;  if  they  fail  Gerrnany 
is  saved  and  the  world  will  be  at  peace.  If  they  |  succeed, 
America  will  fall  within  the  menace.  We  and  all  the  rest  of 
the  world  must  remain  armed,  as  they  |  will  remain,  and 
must  make  ready  for  the  next  step  in  their  aggression;  if 
they  fail,  the  world  may  unite  |  for  peace  and  Germany 
may  be  of  the  union. 

Do  you  not  now  understand  the  new  intrigue,  the  in- 
trigue for  I  peace,  and  why  the  masters  of  Germany  do  not 
hesitate  to  use  any  agency  that  promises  to  effect  their  pur- 
pose, I  the  deceit  of  the  nations?  Their  present  particular 
aim  is  to  deceive  all  those  who  throughout  the  world  stand 
for  I  the  rights  of  peoples  and  the  self-government  of  na- 
tions; for  they  see  what  immense  strength  the  forces  of 
justice  I  and  of  liberalism  are  gathering  out  of  this  war. 
They  are  employing  liberals  in  their  enterprise.  They  are 
using  men,  |  in  Germany  and  without,  as  their  spokesmen 


ARTICLES    FOR   DICTATION  297 

Style  X.  —  MILITARY   CORRESPONDENCE 

Note  formal  statement  of  data  at  the  top  of  the  sheet;  compare 
with  Style  VII,  House  Correspondence.  Note  also  numbered  para- 
graphs, omission  of  salutation  and  complimentary  close,  and  reply  by 
endorsement  at  the  foot  of  the  sheet. 


HEADQUARTERS    WISCONSIN     DETACHMENT 

5th    PROV.    training    REGIMENT 

161    DEPOT    BRIGA[JE 


Nov.   27,   1918. 

Froa:     Cornmandlns  Officer,  WIb.  Det.  5th  Ltd.  Serv.  Reg.  Madleon,  Wis. 
To:       Pvt.  Geo.  Smith,  Wis.  Det.  5th  Ltd.  Serv.  Reg.  Eagle  River,  Wie. 
Subject:  Military  Correspondence. 


1.  .  Examination  has  just  been  made  of  the  correspondence  files  of  this 
office.  This  correspondence  gives  us  an  accurate  conception  of  the  cor- 
rectness with  which  the  soldiers  in  this  command  perform  their  duties. 
Your  correspondence  is  of  a  varied  character,  sometimes  furnishing  exact- 
ly the  information  requested  and  sometimes  doing  exactly  the  opposite. 

2.  In  a  Command  so  distributed  ae  this,  the  impression  that  the  Command- 
ing Officer  gets  of  the  soldier  is  dependent  entirely  upon  his  correspond- 
dence.  You  can  improve  your  record  of  efficiency  greatly  by  more  careful 
attention  to  the  form  and  substance  of  your  letters.  Sometimes  even  when 
the  substance  of  your  correspondence  is  satisfactory,  the  appearance  creates 
an  unsatisfactory  impression.  In  your  own  interest,  therefore,  you  should 
make  an  improvement  in  the  form  end  substance  of  your  correspondence,  as 
this  will  mean  an  earlier  recommendation  for  promotion. 

3.  You  are  directed  to  acquaint  youreelf  thoroughly  with  the  forms  of 
correspondence  as  contained  in  some  standard  text  ae  especially  indicated 
by  order  9. 

4.  You  are  requested  to  acknowledge  receipt  by  indorsement  hereon. 

Edward  A,  Fltzpatrick 
Major  of  Infantry  U.S.A. 
Commanding  Detacluient 

1st  Ind. 

Pvt.   Geo.  Smith.  Local  Board  of  Vilas  County,  Eagle  River,  Wis. Nov.  28,  1918. 

To:    Commanding  Officer  Wis.  Det.  5th  Ltd.  Serv.  Reg.  Capitol  Bldg.,  Uadlson,  Wis, 

1.  Returned. 

2.  Receipt  acknowledged. 

Geo .  Smith 
Pvt.  Wis.  Det.  Ltd.  Ser.  Reg. 


298  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

whom  they  have  hitherto  despised  and  oppressed,  using 
them  for  their  own  destruction,  |  —  sociahsts,  the  leaders 
of  labor,  the  thinkers  they  have  hitherto  sought  to  silence. 
Let  them  once  succeed  and  these  men,  |  now  their  tools, 
will  be  ground  to  powder  beneath  the  weight  of  the  great 
military  empire  they  will  have  set  |  up;  the  revolutionists 
in  Russia  will  be  cut  off  from  all  succor  or  co-operation  in 
western  Europe  and  a  counter  |  revolution  fostered  and 
supported;  Germany  herself  will  lose  her  chance  of  free- 
dom; and  all  Europe  will  arm  for  the  next,  |  the  final 
struggle. 

The  sinister  intrigue  is  being  no  less  actively  conducted 
in  this  country  than  in  Russia  and  in  |  every  country  in 
Europe  to  which  the  agents  and  dupes  of  the  Imperial 
German  Government  can  get  access.  That  government  | 
has  many  spokesmen  here,  in  places  high  and  low.  They 
have  learned  discretion.  They  keep  within  the  law.  It 
is  I  opinion  they  utter  now,  not  sedition.  They  proclaim 
the  liberal  purposes  of  their  masters;  declare  this  a  foreign 
war  which  |  can  touch  America  with  no  danger  to  either 
her  lands  or  her  institutions;  set  England  at  the  center  of 
the  I  stage  and  talk  of  her  ambition  to  assert  economic 
dominion  throughout  the  world;  appeal  to  our  ancient 
tradition  of  isolation  |  in  the  politics  of  the  nations;  and 
seek  to  undermine  the  government  with  false  professions 
of  loyalty  to  its  principles.  | 

Rut  they  will  make  no  headway.  The  false  betray  them- 
selves always  in  every  accent.  It  is  only  friends  and  par- 
tisans I  of  the  German  Government  whom  we  have  already 
identified  who  utter  these  thinly  disguised  disloyalties.  The 
facts  are  patent  to  |  all  the  world,  and  nowhere  are  they 
more  plainly  seen  than  in  the  United  States,  where  we  £ire 
accustomed  to  |  deal  with  facts  and  not  with  sophistries; 
and  the  great  fact  that  stands  out  above  all  the  rest  is 


ARTICLES   FOR    DICTATION  299 

that  I  this  is  a  People's  War,  a  war  for  freedom  and  justice 
and  self-government  amongst  all  the  nations  of  the  |  world,  a 
war  to  make  the  world  safe  for  the  peoples  who  Uve  upon 
it  and  have  made  it  their  |  own,  the  German  people  them- 
selves included;  and  that  with  us  rests  the  choice  to  break 
through  all  these  hypocrisies  and  |  patent  cheats  and  masks 
of  brute  force  and  help  set  the  world  free,  or  else  stand 
aside  and  let  it  |  be  dominated  a  long  age  through  by  sheer 
weight  of  arms  and  the  arbitrary  choices  of  self-constituted 
masters,  by  |  the  nation  which  can  maintain  the  biggest 
armies  and  the  most  irresistible  armaments,  —  a  power  to 
which  the  world  has  |  afforded  no  parallel  and  in  the  face 
of  which  political  freedom  must  wither  and  perish. 

For  us  there  is  but  |  one  choice.  We  have  made  it.  Woe 
be  to  the  man  or  group  of  men  that  seeks  to  stand  in  |  our 
way  in  this  day  of  high  resolution  when  every  principle  we 
hold  dearest  is  to  be  vindicated  and  made  |  secure  for  the 
salvation  of  the  nations.  We  aie  ready  to  plead  at  the  bar 
of  history,  and  our  flag  |  shall  wear  a  new  luster.  Once 
more  we  shall  make  good  with  our  Uves  and  fortunes  the 
great  faith  to  |  which  we  were  born,  and  a  new  glory  shall 
shine  in  the  face  of  our  people.     (936) 


APPENDIX  A 

GLOSSARY  OF  BUSINESS  TERMS,  LEGAL  TERMS, 
AND    ABBREVIATIONS 

The  business  terms  here  defined  are  those  used  in  the  letters  and 
articles  contained  in  this  text.  A  glossary  of  this  kind  is  not  intended 
to  take  the  place  of  a  dictionary,  for  the  student  should  form  the  valua- 
able  habit  of  frequent  reference  to  a  large  dictionary  and  to  other  works 
of  reference. 

The  legal  terms  are  those  most  commonly  met  with  in  correspondence. 

For  convenient  reference,  the  three  glossaries  are  combined  in  one. 

A 

A  1  ■ —  first  quality 

A.B.  —  Bachelor  of  Arts 

abatement  —  discount  or  reduction  in  price 

abbr.  —  abbreviation 

accelerate  —  to  move  faster 

accept  (goods)  —  usually  refers  to  taking  goods  from  freight  or  express 
company 

acceptance  —  agreement  by  the  person  on  whom  the  draft  is  drawn, 
called  the  drawee,  to  act  as  the  person  making  the  dr£ift,  called  the 
drawer,  has  requested;  that  is,  to  pay  the  amount  named  in  the 
draft  (see  also  trade  acceptance) 

accessory  —  something  additional  and  subordinate 

accommodations  (credit)  —  see  tine  of  credit 

accord  and  satisfaction  —  an  agreement  between  two  parties  to  a  dis- 
pute by  wliich  the  person  claiming  something  takes  less  than  his 
claim 

accountant  —  one  who  keeps  accounts 

acct.  —  account 

acid  test  —  any  severe  test 

acknowledgment  —  (business)  letter  showing  that  an  order  has  been 
received;  or  that  any  letter  has  been  received;  (legal)  avowal 
of  the  genuineness  of  one's  signature  to  a  document 

301 


302  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

action  —  legal  process  or  suit 

act    of    God  —  inevitable    accident   from    causes    over   which   human 

agency  has  no  control 
A.D.  —  (Latin)  Anno  Domini,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord 
adequate  —  fully  sufficient 

adjust  —  to  settle  a  difficulty,  with  or  without  money  payment 
adm.  —  administrator 

administrative  —  having  to  do  with  management;  executive 
administrator  —  one  appointed  by  a  court "  to  settle  the  estate  of  a 

person  who  dies  without  leaving  a  will 
advantageous  —  favorable,  beneficial 
advise  —  to  inform 
aet.  —  (Latin)  aetatis,  aged 
affidavit  —  statement  in  writing  signed  and  sworn  to  by  the  person 

making  it,  before  an  officier  authorized  to  adminster  oaths,  as  a 

notary  pubUc 
A.G.  —  Adjutant  General 
agency,  mercantile  agency,  commercial  agency  —  houses  which  make  a 

business  of  securing  credit  information 
agt.  —  agent 
afias — (Latin)  otherwise;    when  used  before  a  person's  name  means 

"  known  otherwise  or  formerly  as  " 
alibi —  (Latin)  elsewhere;    to  prove  an  alibi,  for  example,  means  to 

prove  one's  presence  elsewhere  than  at  the  place  where  a  crime  of 

which  one  is  accused,  .was  committed 
aUmony  —  allowance  granted  to  a  woman  on  legal    separation  from 

her  husband 
ally  —  partner  in  an  undertaking 
alternating  current  —  electric  current  that  reverses  periodicaUy  and 

rapidly 
A.M.  —  Master  of  Arts 
amply  —  fully 
amt.  —  amount 

analyze  — to  separate  the  parts  of  a  whole 
anon.  —  anonymous 
ans.  —  answer 
app.  —  appendix 

appeal  —  removal  of  a  legal  action  from  an  inferior  to  a  superior  court 
approximate  —  nearly  but  not  exactly  accurate 
appurtenances  —  things  or  rights  which  belong  to  and  pass  with  an 

estate  in  lands,  as  a  right  of  way  over  lands 


APPENDIX  303 

ar.  —  arrives 

arbitrary  —  exercised  according  to  one's  will 

argument  —  a  reason  olFered  for  or  against  something 

armature  —  part  of  a  motor  carrying  the  conductors  which  are  caused 

to  move  through  the  magnetic  field  by  a  current  passing  through 

them 
arraign  —  to  call  to  answer  to  an  indictment  before  a  court 
arrogance  —  haughtiness 
art.  —  article 

assault  —  attempt  to  do  bodily  injury  to  another 
assess  —  to  tax;   to  value,  especially  for  taxation 
assets  —  entire  property  of  a  person;   any  possession  of  value 
assign  — to  make  over  property  to  another;  to  make  over  (give,  transfer), 

.  to  another 
assigns  —  persons  to  whom  property  mentioned  in  a  deed  may  be 

assigned 
assn.  —  association 

assortment  —  a  classified  collection  of  articles 
asst.  —  assistant 

assumption  —  something  taken  for  granted 
attach  —  to  take  a  person  or  property  into  custody  of  the  law  until  a 

suit  or  action  can  be  settled 
attest  —  to  witness  the  execution  or  signature  to  a  document 
attributes  —  characteristics 
atty.  —  attorney 

auditing  —  oflicial  examination  of  accounts 
Aug.  —  August 
auxil.  —  auxiliary 
auxiliary  —  assistant 
av.  —  average 
avail  of  —  to  make  use  of 
Ave.  —  avenue 
avoir.  —  avoirdupois 

B 

back  order  —  order  filed  when  goods  are  out  of  stock,  for  shipment  when 

goods  arrive 
Bagehot —  (1826-1877)  English  writer  on  economics 
bail  —  to  release  on  security ;   the  security  so  given 
bailment  —  delivery  of  goods  to  another  in  trust  for  a  certain  purpose 


304  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

bal.  —  balance 

balance  —  amount  still  owing: 

balance  wheel  —  wheel  to  regulate  motion 

bankrupt  —  one  who  is  unable  to  pay  his  debts 

Bayer  Aspirin  —  a  brand  of  drug  derived  from  sahcyUc  acid 

bbl.  —  barrel 

B.C.  —  Before  Christ 

bdls.  —  bundles 

bds.  —  boards 

behoove  —  to  be  proper  for 

bill  —  to  make  a  bill  or  list  of;  any  written  document;  a  note;  ac- 
count of  goods  sold  or  services  rendered  with  the  price  or  charge; 
declaration  in  writing  stating  the  wrong  complained  of  in  an  action 

billet  —  stick  of  wood  or  bar  of  metal 

bill  of  goods  —  same  as  invoice 

bill  of  lading  —  signed  acknowledgment  of  goods  received  for  trans- 
portation 

Bismarck  —  (1815-1898)  German  statesman;  founder  of  German 
Empire 

bkt.  —  basket 

B/L  —  see  hill  of  lading 

bldg.  —  building 

bona  fide  —  in  good  faith;   genuine 

bond  —  a  writing  under  seal  by  which  a  person  binds  himself  to  pay  a 
sum  of  money  or  perform  an  act;  an  interest-bearing  certificate 
issued  by  a  government  or  corporation 

branch  — -  branch  house 

b.  rec.  —  bills  receivable 

B.S.  —  Bachelor  of  Science 

bu.  —  bushel 

bul.  —  bulletin 

bulk  car  lot  —  goods  sold  in  not  less  than  carload  lots  at  a  given  price 

bulletin  —  any  periodical  pubhcation,  especigdly  a  small  one 

bx.  —  box 


C  —  one  hundred 

Can.  —  Canada 

candid  —  fair,  open,  outspoken 

Capt.  —  Captain 

caps.  —  capitals 


APPENDIX  305 

carburetor  —  a  device  in  an  engine  for  carrying  a  current  of  air  through 
liquid  fuel  so  that  the  air  may  take  up  the  vapor  to  form  the  ex- 
plosive mixture 

card  room  —  room  in  a  weaving  mill  where  operation  of  carding  is 
performed 

carriers  —  transportation  companies 

cartage  —  price  paid  for  cartage;  carrying  goods  by  wagon  or  auto- 
mobile 

carton  —  pasteboard  box 

casing  —  outer  part  of  automobile  tire 

cat.  —  catalogue 

caveat  —  a  warning  not  to  do  a  certain  act  until  the  party  notifying  is 
heard 

caveat  emptor  —  (Latin)  let  the  buyer  beware 

CO.  —  cubic  centimeters 

C.E.  —  Civil  Engineer 

cent.  —  centigrade 

certified  check  —  check  on  the  face  of  which  has  been  stamped  the  word 
"  good,"  "  accepted,"  or  "  certified,"  with  the  signature  of  the 
cashier  or  paying  teller;  this  shows  that  the  person  drawing  the 
check  has  enough  money  in  the  bank  to  pay  the  check 

cessation  —  stop 

cf .  —  confer,  compare 

c.f.  &  i.  —  cost,  freight,  &  insurance 

chain-letter  —  letter  asking  the  receiver  to  write  several  others 

chap.  —  chapter 

charter  —  a  formal  document  granting  special  rights  or  privileges  to 
an  individual  or  a  corporation 

chassis  (plural,  chassis)  —  under  part  of  an  automobile 

Chatham,  Earl  of  —  (1708-1778)  Enghsh  statesman,  friend  of  the 
American  colonies 

checkmate  —  (chess)  to  check  an  adversary's  king  so  that  escape  is 
impossible;   to  defeat  utterly 

check  valve  —  valve  through  which  fluid  can  pass  in  only  one  direction 

chronological  —  according  to  periods  of  time 

chucking  problem  —  problem  of  using  proper  chucks  to  hold  work  in  a 
lathe 

circuit  breaker  —  form  of  automatic  switch  which  opens  an  electric 
current 

civ.  —  civil 

C.J.  —  Chief  Justice 


306  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

clearance  advices  —  information  as  to  time  of  leaving  port 

clear  on  steamer  —  to  get  permission  to  leave  port 

clientele  —  body  of  followers  or  customers 

clip  —  season's  product  of  wool 

CO.  —  Commanding  Officer 

Co.  —  Company 

C/o  —  in  care  of 

C.O.D.  —  collect  on  delivery 

coil,  induction  coil  —  wire  wound  on  a  bobbin  so  as  to  concentrate  or 

multiply  the  effect  of  an  electric  current 
coke  —  bituminous  coal  from  which  some  of  the  gases  have  been  driven 

by  heating  in  a  closed  place 
Col.  —  Colonel 
collateral  —  an  additional  obligation  or  security,  as,  property  used  as 

security  for  a  note 
collectible  —  capable  of  being  collected 
common  law  —  the  unwritten  law  that  is  binding  because  of  long  usage 

and  general  acceptance,  as  distinguished  from  statute  law 
community  —  body  of  people  living  in  the  same  place  under  the  same 

conditions 
compensation  —  remuneration  or  payment 
competitor  —  one  who  competes;   rival  in  business 
compliance  —  act  of  complying 
comply  —  to  act  in  agreement  with 

composition  with  creditors  —  agreement  between  creditors  and  an  in- 
solvent debtor  to  accept  part  of  their  claims 
compression  —  point  of  compression,  reached  in  starting  a  gas  engine, 

is  the  point  at  which  the  piston  is  at  the  bottom  of  the  stroke,  just 

before  the  gas  is  exploded 
conceived  —  thought  of,  originated  in  the  mind 

concentrate  —  to  gather  into  one  body;   to  give  exclusive  attention  to 
concrete  cases  —  specific,  definite  examples 
conducive  —  helpful,  leading  toward 
conferred  upon  —  given  over  to 
confirmation  —  final  acceptance  of  order;  assurance 
congestion  —  overcrowded  condition 
conservation  list  —  list  of  articles  to  be  used  sparingly 
consideration  —  the  benefit  or  compensation  given  to  induce  parties  to 

enter  into  a  contract 
consign  —  to  forward  or  deliver  something  to  some  one  to  be  sold  or 

called  for 


APPENDIX  307 

consignment  —  merchandise  so  forwarded 

constrained  —  compelled 

constructive  criticism  —  criticism  intended  to  improve  conditions 

consumer  —  one  who  uses  goods  and  destroys  their  value,  as  dis- 
tinguished from  manufacturer  ot  middleman 

contemplate  —  to  look  forward  to ;   intend 

contention  —  position  taken  in  arguing 

contract  —  a  formal  agreement  between  two  or  more  parties ;  it  must 
be  based  upon  a  consideration 

copyright  —  exclusive  right  given  to  an  author  to  publish  and  sell  his 
work 

cordial  —  hearty,  sincere 

corporation  —  group  of  persons  treated  by  the  law  as  a  unit  or  artificial 
person,  with  rights  or  liabilities  distinct  from  those  of  the  persons 
composing  it 

C.O.S.  —  Charity  Organization  Society 

cost  accountant  —  accountant  who  figures  cost  of  different  operations 

C.P.  —  chemically  pure 

C.P.A.  —  Certified  Public  Accountant 

cr.  —  credit 

credit  —  amount  paid  by  debtor  on  account;  amount  to  which  a  person 
or  business  house  may  be  trusted 

credit  information  —  information  showing  how  much  credit  may  safely 
be  granted  a  customer 

C.S.  —  Civil  Service 

ct.  —  cent 

cumbersome  —  burdensome 

current  orders  —  see  pending  order 

cut  —  engraved  block  or  plate  for  printing 

c.w.o.  —  cash  with  order 

cwt.  —  hundred  weight 

cycle  —  full  period  of  an  alternating  current;  series  of  operations  per- 
formed during  a  single  stroke  of  the  piston  in  a  gas  engine 

cylinder  —  piston  chamber  in  an  engine 


data  —  facts  from  which  conclusions  can  be  drawn 

D.D.  —  Doctor  of  Divinity 

dead  stock  —  goods  that  cannot  be  sold 

Dec.  —  December 


308  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

decline  (securities)  —  to  lessen  in  price 
deduct  —  to  take  away  from 

def.  —  definition  (s) 

de  facto  — ■  (Latin)  in  fact 

default  —  failure  to  act  or  pay 

defendant  —  one  required  to  make  answer  in  a  legal  action 

defer  —  to  postpone 

deg.  —  degree(s) 

delinquency  —  failure  to  pay  bills  on  terms  agreed  to 

deponent  —  one  who  testifies  under  oath,  usually  in  w  riting 

depositor  —  one  who  deposits  money  in  a  bank 

depot  —  place  where  goods  are  stored ;  railroad  station 

depreciate  —  to  lessen  in  price 

dept.  —  department 

device  —  contrivance,  scheme 

die  cut  folders  —  folders  cut  in  special  shapes  by  dies 

direct  current  —  electric  current  flowing  in  one  direction  only 

disastrous  —  attended  with  disaster 

disc.  —  discount 

discount  —  deduction  from  an  account,  charge,  or  the  like 

discrepancy  —  difference  between  debtor's  and  creditor's  statement  of 

debt 
discretion  —  judgment 
dishonor  —  to  refuse  to  pay  a  draft 
disposition,  "  Give  us  disposition  of  these  goods"  —  "  Tell  us  what  to 

do  with  these  goods  "  —  an  expression  used  by  person  holding 

goods  but  not  wishing  to  assume  responsibility  for  them 
distribution  of  goods  —  process  of  getting  goods  from  the  producer  to 

the  consumer 
do.  —  ditto,  the  same 
dol.  —  dollar 
doz.  —  dozen 
draft,  sight  draft  —  order  directing  the  payment  of  money,  such  as  an 

order  sent  by  a  creditor  to  be  presented  to  a  debtor  by  a  bank 
draw  on  you  —  to  send  a  draft 
drudgery  —  work  that  is  distasteful 
dry  cells  —  cells  in  an  electric  battery  whose  contents  are  solid  or 

nearly  so 
dupe  —  one  who  has  been  deceived 
duplicate  —  to  make  a  copy  of 
D.V.  —  (Latin)  Deo  volente,  God  willing 


APPENDIX  309 

dwt.  —  pennyweight 

dynamic  —  having  energy,  powerful 

E 

ea.  —  each 

economics  —  science  that  investigates  the  laws  affecting  production, 

distribution,  and  consumption  of  wealth 
ed.  —  edition 

e.g.  —  (Latin)  exempU  gratia,  for  example 
elapsed  —  passed 

elapsed  time  recorders  —  machines  for  recording  time  spent  on  a  job 
electro  types  —  facsimile  plates  for  printing,  or  prints  made  from  such 

plates 
elemental  —  relating  to  the  elements;  simple 
eliminate  —  to  do  away  with,  get  rid  of 
embargo  —  order  forbidding  certain  traffic 
emblazon  —  to  adorn  with  bright  colors 
encroach  —  to  intrude,  advance  beyond  normal  limits 
energized  —  filled  with  energy 
entail  —  to  require 

environmental  —  relating  to  environment  or  surroundings 
escutcheon  —  ornamental  plate  about  a  keyhole 
esp.  —  especially 
Esq.  —  Esquire 

et  al.  —  (Latin)  et  alii,  and  others 
etc.  —  (Latin)  et  cetera,  and  so  forth 

Evinrude  motor  —  a  certain  make  of  motor  attached  to  small  boats 
excess  —  more  than  the  usual  or  specified  amount 
exclusive  —  enjoyed  to  the  exclusion  of  others 
execution  —  completion,    performance;    a  judicial  writ  directing  the 

enforcement  of  a  judgment 
executive  —  person  responsible  for  carrying  measures  into  effect 
executor  —  person  named  in  a  will  to  carry  out  its  provisions 
exp.  —  export 
expedite  —  to  hasten 

expiration  date  —  date  after  which  certain  action  may  not  be  taken 
expired  (discount  period)  —  passed  by 
explosive  regulations  —  government    requirements    for    the    sale    of 

explosives 
export  declaration  —  statement  of  nature  of  merchandise  intended  for 

export 


310  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

export  license  —  document  giving  governmental  permission  to  export 

certain  merchandise 
extension  —  additional  time  given  for  payment ;   extension  —  total  price 

for  several  articles,  shown  on  invoice 


F 

F.  —  Fahrenheit 

facilitate  —  to  make  easy 

facilities  —  means  for  making  any  action  easy 

fair  listed  —  having  a  fixed  price  that  gives  a  fair  profit  to  the  dealer 

and  is  fair  also  to  the  consmner,  without  further  discount;    term 

used  of  automobile  tires 
fatigued  —  tired,  wearied 
fatigue  point  —  point  after  which  work  is  performed  less  efficiently 

because  the  worker  is  tired 
feasibility  —  capability  of  being  done 
feature  —  to  show  prominently 
Feb.  —  February 

fees  —  reward  for  services,  especially  professional  services 
fig.  —  figure 

file  claim.  —  to  make  claim  for  damage,  loss,  etc. 
finance  —  to  plan  for  payment 
fluctuating  —  changing 
fly  wheel  —  heavy  wheel  for  equalizing  the  speed  of  machinery  with 

which  it  revolves 
f.o.b.  —  free  on  board;   purchaser  pays  the  freight  from  that  point 
fodder  yarn  —  trade  term  for  a  variety  of  hemp  yarn 
foreclosure  —  action  taken  to  cut  off  the  mortgagor's  right  to  redeem 

property  mortgaged  to  secure  payment  of  a  debt 
form,  form  letter  —  identical  letter  sent  to  several  persons 
formulated  —  stated  definitely 
forwarding  agent  (export)  —  agent  to  whom  goods  are  consigned  for 

shipment 
fount  —  oil  container  in  an  oil  stove  or  lamp 
free  goods  —  additional  goods  given  with  quantity  purchase 
freight  bill  —  see  bill  of  lading 

friction  —  metaphorically  used,  means  disagreement 
frs.  —  francs 
frt.  —  freight 
ft.  —  foot,  feet 


APPENDIX  311 

function  —  action  proper  to  any  one  or  any  thing;  duty 

fuse  —  strip  or  piece  of  easily  melted  metal  inserted  in  an  electrical 

circuit.     When  the  current  increases  beyond  safety,  the  fuse  melts, 

interrupting  the  circuit 
fut.  — -  future 
futile  —  of  no  importance;  useless 


G 

gal.  —  gallon 

galley  proof  —  strips  of  paper  showing  trial  impressions  from  type  set, 

but  not  made  up  into  pages 
galvanized  —  coated  with  zinc  by  action  of  an  electric  current 
G.A.R.  —  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic 
gauge  —  a  measurement 
Gen.  —  General 

gloss.  —  glossary  v 

Gov.  —  Governor 
G.P.A.  —  General  Passenger  Agent 
graphic  —  vividly  described 

gross  profit  —  profit  without  subtracting  expense  of  doing  business 
gratis  —  free 
guaranty  (credit  term)  —  promise  by  third  person  to  repay  seller  if 

buyer  does  not  pay  for  goods 
guest  card  —  card  given  by  a  member  to  admit  a  friend  to  the  pri\Tleges 

of  a  club 

H 

h.  —  hour 

hackneyed  —  stale,  worn-out 

hdkf .  —  handkerchief 

hhd.  —  hogshead 

hoard  —  to  lay  up  a  store  of  food,  money,  etc. 

Hon.  —  Honorable 

honorarium  —  honorary  payment,    usually   for   services   on   which  no 

price  can  be  set 
horde  —  unorganized  body  of  people 
h.p.  —  horse  power 
hygrometer  —  instrument   for   measuring  degree   of  moisture  of  the 

atmosphere 


312  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 


ib.,  ibid.  —  (Latin)  ibidem,  in  the  same  place 

identical  —  exactly  alike 

identify  —  to  prove  to  be  the  same  as  something  already  described 

i.e.  —  (Latin)  id  est,  that  is 

ignite  —  to  set  on  fire 

ignition  —  apparatus  for  exploding  by  an  electric  spark  the  charge  of 

gases  in  the  cylinder  of  a  gas  engine 
impart  —  to  communicate  the  knowledge  of,  teU 
importune  —  to  beg  earnestly 
impose  —  to  place  upon;  deceive 
in.  —  inch(es) 

inaccessible  —  not  approachable 
inadvertence  —  neghgence,  oversight 
inc.  —  incorporated 

incurring  —  bringing  down  upon  one's  self 
indorsement  -t-  something  written  on  the  back  of  a  note  or  document; 

especially  name  written  on  the  back  of  a  paper  in  order  to  transfer  it 
induce  —  to  influence,  as  by  argument  or  offer  of  advantage 
inducement  —  something  offered  to  induce 
initiative  —  abihty  to  originate  or  start 
injunction  —  writ  or  process  granted  by  a  court  of  equity  and  requiring 

a  party  to  do  or  to  refrain  from  doing  some  act 
ins.  —  insurance 

insistent  —  persistent,  compelling  attention 
inst.  —  instant,  this  month 
int.  —  interest 
integrity  —  honesty 

intensive  —  thorough,  as  contrasted  with  extensive 
intestate  —  one  who  dies  without  making  a  will 
inv.  —  invoice 

inventory  —  detailed  list  of  property  with  its  estimated  value 
investment  —  money  laid  out  in  the  purchase  of  property  for  income 
invoice  —  list  of  merchandise 

iron  weight  —  trade  term  for  measurement  of  the  weight  of  soling 
irrelevant  —  not  related  to  or  connected  with  a  topic 
irrigation  —  method  of  supplying  land  with  water  by  ditches  or  canals 
isolation  —  state  of  being  shut  off  by  itself 
issuance  —  issuing,  printing 
issue  —  number  of  a  magazine  or  newspaper 


APPENDIX  313 

J 

Jan.  —  January 

jobber  —  one  who  buys  goods  in  bulk  to  sell  again  to  dealers  without 

change  of  form 
J.P.  —  Justice  of  the  Peace 
Jr.  —  Junior 

judgment  —  decision  of  a  court 
Justice  —  Justice  of  the  Peace 


kick  plate  —  piece  of  metal  fastened  to  the  lower  end  of  a  door 
kilo.  —  kilogram;   kilometer 

kilowatt  hour  —  energy  resulting  from  activity  of  one  kilowatt  con- 
tinued for  one  hour 
Knox,  John  —  (1505-1573)  Scottish  theological  leader  and  historian 
Kt.  —  knight 


lath  yarn  —  trade  term  for  a  variety  of  hemp  yarn 

lb.  —  pound 

I.e.  —  small  letters 

ledger  —  book  in  which  a  summary  of  accounts  is  preserved 

leniency  —  mildness,  mercy 

levy  —  to  raise  or  collect,  as  by  assessment  or  execution 

liabilities  —  debts 

lignite  —  variety  of  coal  between  peat  and  bituminous  coal 

Limited,  Ltd.  —  limited  partnership  consisting  of  general  and  special 
partners,  the  former  being  the  managers,  and  the  latter  contributing 
the  capital,  their  liability  being  limited  to  the  amount  of  their 
contribution 

line  of  credit  —  amount  to  which  a  person  may  be  trusted 

lithographed  —  printed  from  a  design  etched  on  stone 

Utigation  —  lawsuit 

log.  —  logarithm 

Louis  XIV  —  (1613-1715)  king  of  France;   "  Le  Grand  IVIonarque  " 

Loyola,  Ignatius  —  (1491-1556)  founder  of  the  Jesuit  order 

l.t.  —  long  ton 

Lt.  —  Lieutenant 

luminous  —  shining,  bright 

luster  —  brilliancy,  splendor 


314  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION   EXERCISES 

M 

M  —  noon ;  thousand 

magneto  —  magneto-dynamo   used    to   generate   the   current   for   the 

electric  ignition  in  a  gas  engine 
maintenance  —  cost  of  upkeep 
Maj.  —  Major 
mandamus  —  writ  issued  by  a  court  to  an  officer  commanding  the 

performance  of  some  act 
manuscript  —  hand  written  copy  of  magazine,  article,  book,  etc. 
Mar.  —  March 
marg.  —  margin 

margin  of  profit  —  difference  between  buying  and  selling  price 
math.  —  mathematics 
mature  (charge  or  bill)  —  to  become  due 

maturities  —  times  when  bills,  notes,  or  securities  become  payable 
maturity  file  —  file  with  guides  or  folders  for  each  day  of  the  week  or 

month,  in  which  material  may  be  filed  for  attention  on  a  future 

date 
maximum  —  largest  possible  amount 
maze  —  confusion  of  thought,  perplexity 
M.C.  —  Member  of  Congress 
M.D.  —  Doctor  of  Medicine 
memo.  —  memorandum,  note 
memorandum  of  credit  —  document  showing  that  a  sum  is  credited  to 

a  customer's  account 
Messrs.  —  Messieurs,  Gentlemen 

metaphorical  —  figurative,  relating  to  a  figure  of  speech 
mfr.  —  manufacturer 
Mgr.  —  Manager 

middleman  —  one  who  buys  in  bulk  and  sells  in  smaller  lots 
mileage  —  number  of  miles  a  tire  can  be  used  without  wearing  out 
min.  —  minute  (s) 
minimum  —  least  possible  amount 
misconstrued  —  misinterpreted,  misunderstood 
mixer  —  valve  in  an  engine  which  admits  a  mixture  of  gasoline  and  air 

in  proper  proportions  to  be  exploded 
Mile.  —  MademoiseUe 
mm.  —  millimeter 
Mme.  —  Madame 
M.O.  —  money  order 


APPENDIX  315 

mo.  —  month 

modification  —  act  of  modifying;   that  which  is  modified 

Mohammed  —  (570P-632)  founder  of  Islamism 

mortgage  —  legal  claim  placed  on  property  until  a  debt  is  paid 

mortise-lock  — -  lock  cut  into  the  edge  of  a  door 

Ms.  —  manuscript 

Mum  —  preparation  to  prevent  odors  from  perspiration 

munitions  —  supplies  of  warfare,  usually  guns  and  explosives 

myriads  —  large  and  indefinite  numbers 

N 

N.  —  north 

Napoleon  I  —  (1769-1821)  French  emperor 

N.B.  —  (Latin)  nota  bene,  note  welT 

needle  valve  —  valve  with  a  plug  fitting  into  an  opening,  to  control  the 
flow  of  fiquids 

Nelson,  Horatio  —  (1758-1805)  EngHsh  admiral 

net  —  remaining  after  the  deduction  of  all  charges,  loss,  etc. 

neutral  territory  —  salesman's  expression  for  a  district  in  which  neither 
his  firm  nor  competitors  have  made  sales 

no.  —  number 

nonessential  list  —  list  of  articles  not  necessary  to  the  conduct  of 
the  war;  laborers  were  asked  to  transfer  to  industries  producing 
essentials 

notation  on  your  account  —  entry  on  ledger  to  show  amount  paid 

noted  freight  bill  —  bill  of  lading  marked  by  freight  agent  to  show  con- 
dition of  goods  when  they  arrived 

notions  —  pins,  needles,  thread,  buttons,  and  other  articles  for  personal 
use 

Nov.  —  November 

nub  —  core  of  a  matter,  point  of  a  story 

O 

O'Connell,  Daniel  —  (1775-1817)  leader  of  the  Roman  Catholic  eman- 
cipation and  Irish  Separatist  movements 

Ohm  meter  —  meter  for  measuring  electrical  resistance 

O.K.  —  correct;    all  right 

op.  cit.  —  (Latin)  opere  citato,  in  the  work  quoted 

open  account  —  account  which  may  remain  open,  or  without  payment, 
for  a  specified  number  of  days 


316  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION   EXERCISES 

opening  bill  —  first  invoice  sold  to  a  customer 

opp.  —  opposite 

ord.  —  ordinance,  order 

oz.  — -  ounce 


par  —  equal ;   said  of  securities  when  the  market  value  equals  the  face 

value 
par.  —  paragraph 

partisans  —  members  of  a  party  who  are  blindly  attached  to  it 
patent  (facts  are  patent)  —  clearly  seen 

patronage  —  business  given  by  regular  customers  to  a  merchant 
pawn,  castle  —  pieces  used  in  chess 
pending  order  —  order  awaiting  sljipment 
per  —  by;  per  M.  ft.,  by  the  thousand  feet 
per  an.  —  (Latin)  per  annum,  by  the  year 
persuasion  —  art  of  leading  to  action 
pf .  —  preferred 

phase  —  any  one  of  various  appearances  or  conditions  of  an  object 
Pierce   Governors  —  certain  brand  of  device  to  prevent  automobile 

engines  from  exceeding  a  certain  speed 
pilfered  —  stolen 

Pitt,  William  —  (1759-1806)  English  statesman 
pivot  —  point  on  the  end  of  which  something  turns 
pkg.  —  package 
pi.  —  plural 

plight  —  bad  condition,  trouble 
P.M.  —  afternoon ;   post  master 
P.O.  —  post  office 
Pol.  Econ.  —  Political  Economy 
portable  —  capable  of  being  carried 
post  —  to  enter  an  item  properly  in  a  book  of  account 
potent  —  having  great  power 
potential  —  existing  in  possibility  only 
pp.  —  pages 

precincts  —  districts  within  certain  boundaries 
predicament  and  remedy  —  method  of  persuading  by  first  showing  an 

undesirable  condition  and  then  showing  the  remedy 
pref.  —  preface 

preferred  attention  —  attention  before  doing  other  things 
Pres.  —  President 


APPENDIX  317 

prestige  —  influence  derived  from  past  success,  or  from  character  or 

reputation 
probate  —  to  prove,  or  establish,  as  a  will 
procedure  —  method  of  proceeding 
prodigal  —  wasteful 
Prof.  —  Professor 
profession  —  any  occupation  involving  special  mental  attainments  or 

special  discipline 
prohibits  —  forbids 
propriety  —  fitness,  appropriateness 
prospective  —  that  is  in  prospect,  expected 
pro  tem.  —  (Latin)  pro  tempore,  for  the  time  being 
protest  —  formal  certificate  showing  that  a  note  has  been  presented  for 

payment  and  has  been  refused 
protest  fees  —  fees  paid  to  an  attorney  for  protesting  a  note 
Prov.  —  province 

prox.  —  (Latin)  proximo,  next  month 
proxy  —  person  authorized  to  act  for  another 
P.S.  —  Postscript 

psychology  —  science  of  ment£d  operations 
pt.  —  pint 
pub.  —  published 

Q 

q.e.d.  —  (Latin)  quod  erat  demonstremdum,  which  was  to  be  dem- 
onstrated 

Q.M.G.  —  Quartermaster  General 

qt.  —  quart 

quota  —  proportion  assigned;  "  sales  quota  "  is  proportion  of  expected 
year's  sales  of  a  company  assigned  to  a  salesman 

quote  "delivery  —  to  state  time  when  delivery  will  be  made 

q.v.  —  (Latin)  quod  vide,  which  see 

qy.  —  query 


raw  material  —  material  not  yet  manufactured 

real  estate  —  property  consisting  of  lands 

rec'd  —  received 

reciprocate  —  to  make  a  return  for  something  done  or  given 

rectify  —  to  make  right 


318  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

ref .  —  reference 

referee  in  bankruptcy  —  person  appointed  by  a  court  in  charge  of  a 

bankruptcy  case 
reimburse  —  to  pay  back 
reinstate  account  —  to  grant  credit  privileges  to  firm  which  has  been 

denied  them  because  of  delinquency 
reluctance  —  unwillingness  "  ^ 

remittance  —  sum  of  money  sent 
re-order  —  new  order  for  same  goods 
rep.  —  report 
repute  —  reputation 
residuary  legatee  —  one  who  is  to  take  all  personal  property  remaining 

after  the  specific  legacies  of  a  will  are  paid 
resume  —  brief  account  of 
retain  —  to  keep 

retire  your  obligations  —  to  pay  your  bills 
Rev.  —  Reverend 
rev.  —  review 

R.F.D.  —  Rural  Free  Ddivery 
riders  —  additions  or  amendments  to  a  document;    special  provisions 

or  concessions  in  a  sales  contract 
rolling  mill  —  mill  where  metal  is  rolled  into  plates  or  bars 
rotogravure  —  special  printing  process  producing  a  soft  effect 
route  —  to  send  by  specified  railroads 
R.P.O.  —  Railroad  Post  Office 

R.S.V.P.  —  (French)  repondez,  s'il  vous  plait,  please  reply 
ruminating  —  meditating,  reflecting 
run  —  that  which  is  produced  at  one  period  of  operation;    a  "  run  "  of 

a  factory 
run,  commercial  tree  run,  orchard  run  —  trade  terms  for  different  grades 

of  fruit 


S 

scanners  —  clerks  who  check  orders  to  make  sure  they  are  correct 

schedule  —  written  or  printed  formal  list 

score,  "  making  a  score  "  —  making  a  sale 

scrupulous  —  careful,  -cautious 

seaboard  —  country  bordering  on  the  sea 

season  catalogue  —  catalogue  issued  once  a  season  or  four  times  a  year 

sec.  —  secretary 


APPENDIX  319 

security  —  something  deposited  or  guaranteed  to  ensure  payment  of  a 
bill 

sedition  —  excitement  of  discontent  against  the  government 

self-contained  —  complete  and  independent,  containing  its  own  motor 

selling  resistance  —  objections  to  purchasing 

seq.  —  (Latin)  sequente,  the  following 

sheer  (weight  of  arms)  —  having  no  modifying  conditions,  utter,  ab- 
solute 

shifts  —  turns,  tricks 

ship  —  to  send  by  rail  or  water  or  any  other  method 

shipped  direct  —  sent  without  passing  through  middleman 

shortage  —  goods  appearing  on  the  invoice  but  not  found  when  the 
shipment  arrives 

siege  —  continued  attempt  to  gain  possession 

Silvertown  Cords  —  a  brand  of  tires  made  with  heavy  cords  in  outer 
casing 

sing.  —  singular 

sinister  —  wrong,  evQ,  foreboding  disaster 

sisal  —  variety  of  hemp 

skein  of  thought  —  involved  process  of  thought 

skeptical  —  doubtful 

sUdes  —  lantern  slides  containing  advertisements  for  use  in  moving 
picture  theaters 

slogan  —  rallying  cry,  watchword,  motto 

sobriety  —  sanity,  cool-headedness 

solicit  —  to  request,  ask  to  purchase 

soUcitude  —  anxious  care  for  something 

sophistries  —  fallacious  statements 

sp.  —  spelling 

specialty  store  —  store  handling  only  one  line  of  goods 

specifications  —  exact  directions  or  provisions 

speculation  —  entering  into  a  risky  business  venture  for  the  sake  of 
unusually  large  profits 

sp.  gr.  —  specific  gravity 

sq.  —  square 

St.  — -  street 

standardizing  —  fixing  standard  sizes,  qualities,  etc.,  for  goods 

staples  —  principal  commodities,  chief  articles  of  commerce 

statistics  —  classified  facts  respecting  the  condition  of  people  in  a  state 

statute  —  law  made  by  a  legislature 

stimulate  —  to  excite  to  action 


320  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION   EXERCISES 

stipulated  —  definitely  arranged  for 

str.  —  steamer 

strike  plate  —  metal  plate  against  which  a  door  latch  strikes  in  closing 

subject  to  your  order,  "  We  are  holding  the  goods  subject  to  your 
order  "  —  see  disposition 

submit  —  to  offer  to  the  judgment  of  another 

subpoena  —  writ  commanding  the  person  named  in  it  to  appear  in 
court  under  penalty 

suit  —  judicial  action  for  the  recovery  of  a  right  or  redress  of  a  wrong 

superman  —  supposed  superior  being,  characterized  by  excess  of  ruth- 
less power 

supersede  —  to  take  the  place  of 

Supt.  —  superintendent 

synop.  —  synopsis 


tact  —  ability  to  deal  with  others  without  giving  offense 

take  up  draft  —  to  pay  draft 

tangible  —  perceptible  to  the  touch,  real,  substantial 

tank  —  gasoline  tank  of  an  engine 

terms  of  credit  —  provisions  for  times  and  amounts  of  payment  laid 

down  by  the  seller  for  the  buyer 
Textan  sheet  soling  —  a  brand  of  material  for  soling  shoes 
throttle  valve  —  valve  in  an  engine  for  controlling  the  flow  of  gasoline 

or  other  operating  fluid 
tickler  —  same  as  inaturity  file,  but  usually  a  small  one 
tipped  on  —  pasted  on,  usually  by  edges  or  corners 
tort  —  any  wrongful  act,  excluding  a  breach  of  contract,  for  which  legal 

action  may  be  brought 
tr.  —  transpose 

trace,  tracer  —  inquiry  following  the  course  of  mail,  express,  or  freight 
trade  acceptance  —  a  negotiable  certificate  of  indebtedness  arising  out 

of  a  current  transaction  in  merchandise;   similar  to  a  note 
transaction  —  any  business  proceeding 
transient  —  not  regular  or  permanent 

transit  (goods  in  transit)  —  goods  at  that  time  being  transported 
transposed  —  changed  about 
Treas.  —  Treasurer 

trend  —  inclination  in  a  general  direction,  tendency 
trim  —  woodwork  used  inside  a  house 


APPENDIX  321 

turnover  of  capital  —  money  earned  by  capital  during  a  given  period 
typographical  error  —  error  made  by  typist  or  typesetter 


U 

ult.  —  (Latin)  ultimo,  last  month 

Univ.  —  University 

unprecedented  —  unexampled,  extraordinary 

urban  —  belonging  to  or  related  to  a  city 

U.S.P.  —  United  States  Pharmacopoeia,  official  book  of  formulas  for 

compounding  medicines 
usury  —  interest  at  a  higher  rate  than  is  allowed  by  law 
utilize  —  to  make  use  of 

V 

valve  disc  —  rubber  disc  used  to  close  a  valve  tightly 

vanadium  —  metallic  element  used  as  an  alloy  to  increase  the  tensile 

strength  of  steel 
verify  —  to  prove  to  be  true;  to  verify  an  order  is  to  refer  it  to  a  superior 

officer  for  approval 
vested  —  already  in  force 
via  —  by  way  of 
vigilantly  —  watchfully 

villa  —  fine  residence  in  the  suburbs  or  country 
vindicated  —  defended,  justified 
viz.  —  videlicet,  namely 
void  —  without  legal  effect 
vol.  —  volume 

volt  —  unit  of  electromotive  force 
voltage  —  electric  power  expressed  in  volts 

voucher  —  receipt  showing  payment,  as  paid  checks  or  receipted  bills 
vs.  —  (Latin)  versus,  against 

W 

wall  board  —  any  of  several  varieties  of  heavy  composition  board  used 

in  walls  instead  of  lath  and  plaster 
War  Chest  —  a  fund  for  aU  rehef  purposes  to  which  each  member 

of  a  group  or  community  contributes  regularly 
warping  —  process  of  stretching  or  arranging  yarn  in  weaving 
warranty  —  guaranty 


322  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

water  jacketed  —  surrounded  with  a  receptacle  containing  water 
way-bill  —  document    describing   and    giving  shipping   directions  for 

goods  to  be  transported  by  a  railroad 
Webster,  Daniel  —  (1782-1852)  American  statesman 
"Work  or  fight"  regulations  —  proclamation  requiring  registrants  of 

the  21-31  class  to  be  employed  in  an  essential  industry  or  to  enter 

the  army  , 

wt.  —  weight 


yd.  —  yard 
yr.  —  year 


zone  rates  —  postal  rates  fixed   according  to  the  distance  or  zones 
through  which  mail  matter  is  to  be  sent 


APPENDIX  B 


RULES    FOR    PUNCTUATION 


Punctuation  shows  the  grammatical  construction  of  the 
sentence.  The  chief  reason  why  a  student  should  learn 
correct  punctuation,  therefore,  is  to  make  the  meaning  of 
his  sentences  clear.  Failure  to  use  correct  punctuation 
may  show  actual  ignorance  of  grammar. 

A  few  rules  of  punctuation  well  learned  are  better  than 
many  rules  poorly  learned.  The  most  important  rules  are 
those  which  concern  the  relation  of  clauses.  The  violation 
of  these  rules  makes  the  worst  impression  on  the  reader. 
The  student  should  learn  first  to  recognize  a  clause  as  the 
part  of  a  sentence  containing  a  subject  and  a  predicate 
(a  gerund  or  a  participle  cannot  form  a  predicate).  He 
should  next  learn  that  an  independent  clause  has  no  sign  of 
subordination,  while  a  subordinate  clause  is  marked  by  a 
relative  pronoun  or  a  subordinating  conjunction.  He 
should  fix  in  mind  especially  Rules  1,  2,  7,  8,  9,  10,  11,  12, 
and  23. 

THE  PERIOD    (.) 

1.  A  period  should  follow  each  complete  sentence  which 
does  not  require  an  interrogation  point  or  an  ex- 
clamation point. 

Examples:     This  decision  may  then  be  enforced. 

In  response  to  your  inquiry  we  take  pleasure  in  inclosing 
copy  of  our  Bulletin  No.  10  on  Wool. 
323 


324  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

2.  It  is  an  error  to  mark  off  part  of  a  sentence  by  a  period, 

as  if  it  were  a  complete  sentence. 

Wrong:     I  believe  the  proper  way  to  proceed  in  this  case  is 

for  the  board  to  hold  a  legal  meeting.     And  at  this  meeting 

formally  decide  what  books  shall  be  used. 
Right:     I  believe  the  proper  way  to  proceed  in  this  case  is 

for  the  board  to  hold  a  legal  meeting,  and  at  this  meeting 

formally  decide  what  books  shall  be  used. 
Wrong:     As  soon  as  we  receive  them.     They  will  be  forwarded 

to  the  County  Councils. 
Right:    As  soon  as  we  receive  them,  they  wiU  be  forwarded 

to  the  County  Councils. 

3.  A  period  should  be  used  after  condensed  phrases  which 

are  intended  to  stand  for  complete  sentences. 

Examples  :     Yes. 
No  doubt. 

(What  train  shall  you  take.^^)     The  nine-fifteen. 
Just  what  I  want. 

4.  A  period  should  be  placed  after  an  abbreviation. 

Examples:     acct.,  A.D.,  viz.,  i.e.,  C.O.D. 

5.  A  period  is  generally  placed  after  the  date  line  in  the 

heading  of  a  letter  and  after  the  last  line  of  the  inside 
address.  It  is,  however,  becoming  the  practice  to 
omit  from  the  ends  of  lines  in  the  heading,  address, 
salutation,  and  signature  of  letters,  all  marks  of 
punctuation  except  periods   after  abbreviations. 

Example:  February  4,  1919 

Mr.  A.  O.  BaUard, 

416  SterUng  Court, 

Albany,  New  York 

6.  A  series  of  three  periods   marks   an   omission  of  part 

of  a  sentence  from  a  quotation. 

Example:     His  statement  is,  ".  .  .we  give  first  consideration 
to  clear  thinking  as  evidenced  by  clear  writing." 


APPENDIX  325 

THE   COMMA   (  , ) 

7.  Use  the  comma  between  co-ordinate  clauses  joined  by 

co-ordinating  conjunctions,  such  as  and^  but^  for^  or^ 

nor,  but  see  Rule  9. 

Examples:  Doubtless  there  will  be  no  difficulty,  but  in  any 
case  I  shall  be  glad  to  assist  you. 

We  shall  make  a  further  investigation,  and  it  may  be 
possible  that  we  can  locate  a  copy  of  the  receipt. 

The  delay  is  due  to  no  lack  of  attention  on  our  part,  for 
we  are  following  up  the  job  daily,  and  you  may  rest  assured 
no  time  will  be  lost  in  its  completion. 

8.  It  is  an  error  to  place  a  comma  between  independent 

clauses  in  a  compound  sentence  which  are  not 
connected  by  co-ordinating  conjunctions  .(see  Rule 
23). 

Wrong:  Do  not  hesitate  to  call  on  us,  we  shall  be  glad  to 
hear  from  you. 

Right:  Do  not  hesitate  to  call  on  us ;  we  shall  be  glad  to  hear 
from  you. 

Wrong:  The  mills  are  rushed  past  their  capacity,  conse- 
quently your  order  has  been  delayed. 

Right:  The  mills  have  been  rushed  past  their  capacity; 
consequently  your  order  has  been  delayed. 

9.  Where  co-ordinate  clauses  joined  by  conjunctions  are 

short  and  closely  connected  in  thought,  the  comma 

may  be  omitted. 

Examples:  We  have  written  the  factory  and  we  do  not 
doubt  they  will  make  prompt  shipment. 

Our  stock  on  this  number  is  exhausted  and  it  may  not  be 
renewed  for  some  weeks. 

10.   A  subordinate  clause  preceding  a  principal  clause  is 

set  off  by  a  comma. 

Examples:     If  I  can  assist  you  further,  please  let  me  know. 
After  you  have  studied  the  instructions,  we  shall  be  glad 
to  hear  from  you. 

When  the  lost  shipment  arrives,  please  write  us. 


326  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

11.  A  restrictive  relative  clause  should  not  be  set  off  by  a 

comma.     A  restrictive  clause  is  one  which  is  necessary 

to  the  meaning  of  its  antecedent;    to  omit  it  would 

change  or  destroy  the  meaning  of  the  sentence. 

Examples:  The  order  which  you  sent  on  January  12  has 
been  received. 

The  gloves  which  checked  short  from  your  invoice  of 
May  14  were  omitted  by  a  mistake  of  our  packers. 

Please  tell  us  the  date  on  which  this  merchandise  was 
delivered. 

12.  A  non-restrictive  relative  clause  should  be  set  off  by 

commas.     A  non-restrictive    clause  is  one  which  is 

not  necessary  to  the  meaning  of  its  antecedent. 

Examples:  Your  order  of  March  6,  about  which  you  in- 
quired in  your  letter  of  March  24,  has  just  been  shipped. 
("Your  order  of  March  6"  is  sufficiently  clear  without 
requiring  the  clause  which  foUows.) 

Mr.  Harold  Martin,  who  has  been  in  our  employ  for 
two  years  past,  desires  a  letter  of  recommendation  to  you, 
which  we  are  very  glad  to  give. 

13.  Commas  should  be  used  between  the  different  items 

in  the  parts  of  the  letter  as  follows : 

(a)  In  the  heading,  after  the  street  and  number; 
to  separate  the  city  and  the  state;  after  the 
state ;  after  the  day  of  the  month. 

(6)  In  the  address,  at  the  end  of  each  line,  and  be- 
tween the  city  and  the  state. 

(c)  After  the  complimentary  clo'se. 

(d)  In  a  two  name  signature,  after  the  first  signature. 

(e)  In  the  envelope  address,  commas  may  be  used 

at  the  ends  of  lines ;  it  is  also  common  practice 
to  omit  them. 
(/)    In  the  envelope  address,  the  punctuation  may  be 
the  same  as  in  the  inside  address;   or  the  com- 
mas may  be  omitted  from  the  ends  of  lines. 


APPENDIX  327 

Example:  214  Hancock  Street, 

Akron,  Oliio, 
September  9,  1919 
Mr.  Walter  M.  Smith, 
24  Rugby  Row, 

Indianapolis,  Indiana 
Dear  Sir: 

Yom^s  truly, 
Marshall  &  Thomas, 
By  A.  G.  Bedloe 

14.  Parenthetical  expressions  should  be  cut  off  by  commas, 

unless  they  break  the  thought  of  the  sentence  so 

strongly    that    double    dashes    or    parentheses    are 

required. 

Examples:     This  does  not,  of  course,   give  you  a  definite 
figure  for  Wisconsin  wool  in  the  hands  of  the  farmers. 

An  experienced  wool  dealer,  however,   should  be  able, 
by  careful  judgment,  to  estimate  its  value. 

Ship  the  wool  to  Chicago,  as  recommended  in  the  bulletin, 
and  take  the  government's  grade  and  price  for  it. 

15.  A  name  in  direct  address  is  set  off  by  commas. 

Example:     I  really  befieve,  Mr.  Otis,  that  you  will  be  fuUy 
satisfied  with  the  performance  of  the  machine. 

16.  Words  used  in  apposition  are  set  off  by  commas  from 

each  other  and  from  the  following  part  of  the  sentence ; 

but  not  when  one  of  the  words  is  merely  a  general 

title. 

Examples:     Albany,  the  capital  of  the  state,  is  situated  on 
the  Hudson, 

The    general    manager,    Mr.    Waters,    will    address    the 
convention. 

My  son  Paul;   the  poet  Tennyson. 

17.  The  comma  is  used  after  an  interjection  which  is  not 

emphatic  enough  to  demand  the  exclamation  point. 

Examples:     Well,  we  shall  see. 
Oh,  I  have  no  objection. 


328  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

18.  An  absolute  phrase,  that  is,  a  phrase  without  gram- 

matical relation  to  the  rest  of  the  sentence,  is  set  off 
by  commas. 

Examples:  The  plan  having  been  approved,  you  should 
lay  it  before  the  directors. 

The  stock  being  entirely  exhausted,  we  shall  have  to 
ask  you  to  re-order. 

19.  When  more  than  two  words,  or  short  phrases,  occur 

in  a  series,  commas  should  follow  each  of  them, 
even  when  a  conjunction  is  used  between  the  last 
pair. 

Examples:     Mr.  Ross,  Mr.  Calhoun,  and  Mr,  Thomas. 
The  lamps,  fenders,  and  right  wheels  were  damaged. 
In  adjustment  letters,  collection  letters,  and  sales  letters, 
the  writer  seeks  to  persuade  his  reader. 

20.  Adjectives  of    co-ordinate    rank   modifying    the  same 

noun  are  separated  by  a  comma.  But  when  one  of 
the  words  is  qualified  by  the  word  preceding  it,  the 
two  should  not  be  separated  by  a  comma. 

Examples:     A  hard,  soaking  rain. 
A  short,  courteous  reply. 
He  wore  his  long  gray  overcoat  and  his  new  felt  hat. 

21.  Place  a  comma  between  parts  of  the   sentence  which 

otherwise  might  be  wrongly  read  as  belonging 
together. 

Examples:  Specify  light  oak  finish,  for  the  purchasing  agent 
wishes  the  equipment  uniform. 

In  selling  an  automobile,  show  the  purchaser  aU  its  strong 
points. 

The  manufacturers  say  they  cannot  fill  our  orders,  even 
by  working  overtime. 

22.  Before    a   direct    quotation,    a    comma   is   used.    But 

before  an  indirect  quotation  introduced  by  that  or 
how,  no  comma  should  be  used. 


APPENDIX  329 

Examples:  He  wrote  us,  "I  shall  make  payment  on  Sep- 
tember 3." 

Your  salesman  assured  us  that  we  could  have  an  extra 
dating  on  this  order. 

THE   SEMICOLON    (  ;) 

23.  Between   co-ordinate   independent   clauses   which   are 

not  joined  by  a  conjunction,  use  a  semicolon.  Such 
clauses  £ire  really  short  sentences  which  could  be 
separated  by  a  period,  but  for  their  close  connection 
in  thought.  (When  the  conjunctive  adverbs,  so, 
then,  hence,  besides.,  accordingly,  nevertheless,  conse- 
quently, still,  so,  etc.,  are  used  without  a  conjunction 
to  join  clauses,  the  semicolon  is  required.) 

Examples:  Undoubtedly  you  will  appreciate  the  spirit 
that  prompted  this  change;  we  feel  confident  that  the  goods 
will  be  satisfactory. 

The  convention  is  going  to  be  a  success;  edready  four 
hundred  delegates  have  arranged  to  come. 

We  have  received  more  orders  than  anyone  could  possibly 
have  expected;   consequently,  our  reserve  stock  is  sold  out. 

24.  The  semicolon  separates  clauses  which  have   commas 

within  themselves,  and  which  are  so  long  as  to  re- 
quire separation. 

Ex.oiple:  If  you  thought  that  an  extra  discount  was 
justified  in  this  case,  at  least  you  should  have  consulted  us 
before  allowing  it;  for  then  we  should  not  have  fallen  into 
this  unpleasEuit  misundersttmding  with  our  customer. 

25.  Before  the  expressions  e.g.,  viz.,  i.e.,  namely,   and  that 

is,  use  the  semicolon. 

Examples:  It  may  be  doubted  whether  the  trouble  is 
reaUy  over;  that  is,  whether  the  cause  of  the  dissatisfaction 
has  been  removed. 

The  position  has  two  advantages;  namely,  it  pays  well 
and  it  brings  one  into  contact  with  the  executives. 


330  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION  EXERCISES 

THE   COLON    (  :  ) 

26.  The  colon  follows  words  that  are  used  as  an  introduc- 

tion to  following  material,  such   as  lists  or  formal 
quotations. 

Examples:     Our     company     manufactures     the      following 
products:    desks,  chairs,  filiuis^  cabinets,  and  tables. 
I  have  just  telegraphed  you  as  follows: 
"Leave  for  Chicago  this  noon." 

27.  After  the  salutation  in  a  letter,  use  the  colon.     Do  not 

use  the  comma.     A  dash  following  the  colon  is  not 
necessary. 

ExAiviPLEs:     Dear  Sir: 
Gentlemen : 
My  dear  Miss  Rogers: 

THE   INTERROGATION  POINT    (?) 

28.  Every  direct  question  should  be   followed    by  an  in- 

terrogation point.     Do  not  divide  a  question  by  any 
other  mark  than  a  comma,  or  a  comma  and  dash. 

Examples:     Do   you  think  this  arrangement  wiU   be   satis- 
factory? 

Shall  we  agree,  then,  —  though  I  am  willing  to  be  guided 
by  your  judgment,  —  to  adopt  the  plan  suggested.^^ 

29.  Do  not  place   an   interrogation  point   after  an  indirect 

question. 
Example:     He  asked  me  whether  the  train  was  late. 

THE   EXCLAMATION   POINT    (  !  ) 

30.  The    exclamation    point    is     used     after     interjections, 

exclamatory  words  or  phrases,  or  sentences  express- 
ing a  wish,  command,  or  strong  emotion. 

Examples:     Splendid!  I  knew  you  would  succeed  I 
Try  it  for  yourself! 


APPENDIX  331 

31.  O  is  used  to-day  only  as  the  poetic  sign  of  direct  address, 

and  is  not  followed  by  the  exclamation  point;  but 
Ohy  the  exclamation,  used  with  or  without  the  capital, 
is  followed  by  the  exclamation  point  when  the  emo- 
tion is  sufficiently  strong,  and  when  the  sentence 
in  which  it  is  contained  is  not  followed  by  an  ex- 
clamation point. 

THE   DASH  (— ) 

32.  The  dash  is  used  to  indicate  an  abrupt  break  in  thought. 

Example:     It  will   give  you  service  because  —  but  there  is 
no  need  for  more  reasons. 

33.  Double   dashes  are  often  used  in  preference  to  paren- 

theses. 
Example:     Making  —  not  selling  —  clothing  is  our  business. 

34.  The   dash  is   sometimes  used  in  business    letters  in 

preference  to  the  comma  to  indicate  strong  emphasis. 

Example:     The   men    in   charge    of  these   departments   are 
experts  —  they  can  help  you  in  choosing. 

PARENTHESES    (    ) 

35.  Parentheses  are    used    to  inclose    matter   not    strictly 

belonging  to  the  sentence. 

Example:     Let  me  advise  you   (you    may  have  heard    this 
before)  that  you  cannot  pay  bills  with  promises. 

36.  Figures  repeating  an  amount  written  out  in  words  are 

inclosed  in  parentheses . 

Example:     Four    hundred     twenty-seven    doUars    and    fifty 
cents  ($427.50). 


332  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION   EXERCISES 

THE  APOSTROPHE  (  '  ) 

37.  The  possessive  case  of  singular  nouns  is  formed  by 

adding   the  apostrophe  and  s.     Nouns    ending    in  s 
may  add  only  the  apostrophe. 
Examples:     John's;  company's;  Jones'  or  Jones's. 

38.  The  possessive  case  of  plural  nouns  ending  in  some 

other  letter  than  5  is  formed  by  adding  the  apostrophe 
and  5. 

Examples:     Women's  clothing;  oxen's  horns. 

39.  Plural  nouns  ending  in  5  form  the  possessive  by  adding 

the  apostrophe  after  the  5. 

Examples:     Ten  days'  notice;  boys'  shoes. 

40.  The  possessive  pronoun  never  takes  the  apostrophe. 

Examples:     Its,  hers,  ours,  yours,  theirs. 

41.  The  apostrophe  also  marks  the   elision  of   a  syllable; 

the  elision  of  the  century  in  dates;  and  the  plural 
of  figures  and  letters.  The  apostrophe  is  commonly 
omitted  from  figmes  referring  to  bonds  bearing  a 
certain  rate  of  interest. 

Examples:     Haven't;    isn't;    '49;    8's;    H's;    Baltimore  and 
Ohio  4|s. 

QUOTATION   MARKS    (  "  "  ) 

42.  Double   quotation    marks  are   used   to   inclose  a  direct 

quotation.  An  indirect  quotation  is  not  inclosed  by 
quotation  marks. 

Examples:     "All  diplomacy,"  says  a  famous  diplomat,  "is 
but  the  threat  of  force." 

He  told  me  that  he  should  be  obliged  to  renew  his  note. 


APPENDIX  333 

43.  Single  quotation  marks  are  used  to  inclose  a  quotation 

within  a  quotation. 

Example:     "Your  experience,"  I  told  him,  "reminds  me  of 
the  proverb,  'A  fool  and  his  money  are  soon  parted.'  " 

44.  The  period  and  comma  always  come  before  the  closing 

quotation  mark,  but  the  exclamation  point  or  the 
interrogation  point  come  before  it  only  when  they 
are  a  part  of  the  quotation. 

Examples:     "You  are  right,"  he  said,  "but  your  advice  is 
hard  to  follow." 

Did  you  say,  "Don't  take  that  train"  ? 
He  asked,  "Are  you  sure  you  are  right?" 

45.  Quotations  from  books  or  letters,  if  long,  begin  with  a 

paragraph,  and  the  paragraph  begins  with  a  quotation 
mark.  Every  paragraph  quoted  should  begin  with 
quotation  marks,  but  only  the  last  one  should  close 
with  them. 

46.  In  letters,  it  is    allowable    to  quote  titles  of   books, 

newspapers,  magazine  articles,  and  trade  names  of 
manufactured  articles.  In  printing,  titles  should  be 
italicized. 


THE  HYPHEN    (-) 

47.  The  hyphen  is  used  between  compound  words,  and 
when  words  are  divided  at  the  end  of  a  line.  It  is 
also  used  to  separate  prefixes  beginning  with  the 
same  vowel  as  that  with  which  the  word  begins,  and 
a  few  other  prefixes.  Never  place  a  hyphen  at  the 
beginning  of  a  line. 

Examples:     To-day;     to-night;     to-morrow;     good-by;    co- 
operate; re-examine;  one-half. 


334  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

CAPITALS 

48.  Every  sentence,  every  line  of  poetry,  and  every  direct 

quotation,  should  begin  with  a  capital  letter. 

49.  The  pronoun  /  and  the  interjection  O  should  be  capi- 

talized. 

50.  All  proper  names,  including  names  of  streets,  months, 

and  days  of  the  week,  should  begin  with  a  capital 
letter;  but  not  the  names  of  seasons,  nor  the  points 
of  the  compass,  unless  they  refer  to  sections  of  the 
country;    as,  the  West. 

51.  Titles  of  persons  should  begin  with  a  capital,  when  com- 

bined with  proper  names,  but  not  when  used  alone, 
except  titles  of  the  highest  officials;  for  example, 
Superintendent  Clark,  the  mayor,  the  President. 

52.  The  important  words  in   titles  of  books,  newspapers, 

etc.,  should  be  capitalized;  for  example,  ''  The 
House  of  the  Seven  Gables." 

53.  In   compound   titles,    capitalize    both    words;     as,    the 

Attorney -General. 

54.  For  emphasis  in  typed  letters,  firms  interested  in  the 

sale  of  books,  newspapers,  and  manufactured  articles 
commonly  write  the  titles  and  names  of  these  in 
solid  capitals.  It  is  allowable  to  write  them  generally 
in  this  manner,  instead  of  quoting  or  italicizing  them. 

55.  For  emphasis  in  typed  letters,  words  or  phrases  may  be 

written  in  solid  capitals. 

56.  Capitalize  the  words  of  the  salutation  in  letters,  except 

the  word  dear  when  preceded  by  my;  as.  My  dear 
Sir.  Capitalize  the  first  word,  but  not  succeeding 
words,  of  the  complimentary  close;  as,  Yours  very 
truly. 


APPENDIX  335 


ITALICS 


57.  Italics  are  indicated  in  typewritten  or  handwritten 
material  by  a  single  underlining.  In  letters,  under- 
lining is  commonly  used  for  emphasis;  this  should 
be  done  sparingly,  or  its  effect  is  lost.  Literary 
titles  are  italicized  in  printing.  Foreign  words  are 
italicized;  but  quotations  from  a  foreign  language 
are  surrounded  by  quotation  marks,  and  are  not 
italicized.  Words  when  referred  to  by  name  are  put 
in  italics;  as,  "  Same  should  not  be  used  as  a 
pronoun." 


APPENDIX  C 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  CIVIL  SERVICE  CANDIDATES 

Do  you  want  to  use  your  shorthand  as  the  means  of 
obtaining  a  position  in  the  state  or  Federal  civil  service  — 
a  position  which  leads  directly  to  opportunities  at  a  higher 
salary? 

Then  plan  to  take  and  pass  the  civil  service  examinations. 
A  careful  plan  will  involve  a  clear  vision  of  the  goal  to  be 
obtained,  and  of  the  steps  which  must  be  taken  to  reach 
it,  as  well  as  of  the  obstacles  that  may  lie  in  the  way.  It 
will  involve  careful  analysis  of  the  exact  nature  of  the  posi- 
tion for  which  you  will  apply  after  passing  the  examinations, 
and  of  yourself,  —  your  personal  characteristics,  the  qualities 
which  will  lead  .you  to  do  better,  perhaps,  in  one  type  of 
position  than  in  another.  Your  plan  is  faulty,  moreover, 
unless  it  includes  an  estimate  of  the  worth  of  the  position 
for  which  you  are  to  compete,  measured  not  only  in  terms 
of  its  immediate  value,  but  also  in  terms  of  its  value  to  you 
years  hence. 

Thousands  of  young  men  and  young  women  throughout 
the  United  States  are  more  or  less  interested  in  these  oppor- 
tunities. But  they  do  not  always  realize  how  desirable  the 
positions  are,  how  well  worth  an  effort  to  obtain  them,  nor 
what  steps  should  be  taken  to  secure  them. 

Ten  states  have  adopted  civil  service;  they  are  Massa- 
chusetts, Connecticut,  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Ohio,  Illinois, 
Wisconsin,  Kansas,  Colorado,  and  California.  Many  large 
counties  operate  under  its  provisions  such  as  Cook  County, 
IlUnois,  in  which  Chicago  is  located;    Milwaukee  County, 

336 


APPENDIX  337 

Wisconsin;  and  Los  Angeles  County,  California;  besides  a 
great  number  of  cities  everywhere.  The  greatest  oppor- 
tunity of  all  lies  in  the  Federal  civil  service  at  Washington, 
with  its  numbers  of  positions,  its  varied  opportunities  for 
advancement,  and  the  many  educational  advantages  af- 
forded by  life  at  our  National  Capital,  and  by  study  at  the 
colleges  and  universities  located  there.  This  study  may  be 
undertaken  during  one's  spare  time,  while  holding  a  posi- 
tion with  the  civil  service. 

A  position  under  civil  service  is  obtained  by  examination, 
and  one  of  the  things  a  candidate  must  learn  is  the  nature 
of  these  examinations  and  how  to  prepare  for  them.  The 
examinations  must  be  regarded  not  only  as  a  means  of  keep- 
ing out  the  unfit,  but,  equally  important,  of  retaining  the 
fit  in  permanent  positions,  and  of  providing  them  regular 
means  of  advancement.  They  safeguard  you  after  you  have 
passed  them. 

In  effect,  the  civil  service  says  to  the  young  man  or 
young  woman,  "We  are  desirous  of  building  an  organiza- 
tion on  merit.  We  want  capable  and  well  prepared  people, 
and  we  promise  you  that  if  you  pass  our  tests,  and  succeed 
in  your  first  position,  we  are  as  eager  to  keep  you  and  pro- 
mote you  as  you  are  to  have  us  do  so." 

For  instance,  read  what  is  printed  at  the  beginning  of  the 
bulletin,  Office  Service,  issued  by  the  Civil  Service  Commission 
of  the  state  of  Wisconsin. 

Those  wishing  to  enter  the  state  service,  as  well  as  those  ahead  y 
in  the  service,  are  naturally  interested  in  the  possibilities  ahead.  Those 
desirous  of  securing  a  position  where  their  abilities  and  interests  will 
count  for  most  and  who  wish  to  know  fuUy  the  duties  of  that  position 
and  the  qualifications  necessary  to  fill  it,  are  the  ones  who  are  wanted 
in  state  service. 

.  .  .  The  ambitious  state  employee,  the  one  who  is  constantly  look- 
ing for  an  opportunity  to  widen  the  scope  of  his  usefulness  and  to  in- 
crease the  value  of  his  services,  is  a  most  valuable  asset  to  the  state. 


338  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

Success  in  any  position  requires  a  combination  of  natural 
fitness  for  the  position,  and  of  adaptability  to  it.  Modern 
study  of  employment  shows  that  the  position  should  be  care- 
fully analyzed  to  determine  its  nature,  and  that  the  tests 
used  to  determine  fitness  for  the  position  should  be  based 
on  this  analysis.  In  the  same  way,  a  candidate  should 
understand  in  advance  the  nature  of  the  several  positions 
for  which  he  may  become  ehgible  after  passing  an  examina- 
tion, and  should  analyze  himself  and  his  fitness  so  as  to  select 
the  one  in  which  he  is  most  likely  to  win  success  and  to  lead 
a  satisfying  life. 

In  order  to  show  most  concretely  how  one  position  may 
lead  to  another,  and  how  an  employee  performing  one  set 
of  duties  comes  into  close  touch  with  employees  perform- 
ing other  sets  of  duties  so  that  he  learns  much  about  them, 
this  Wisconsin  bulletin  emphasizes,  as  one  of  the  most 
important  considerations  for  a  candidate,  the  interrelation 
of  office  duties.  Let  us  suppose,  for  instance,  that  a  public 
utility  is  petitioning  the  state ;  all  the  office  force  is  occupied 
in  solving  this  office  problem.  In  the  following  statement, 
each  of  the  five  types  of  clerical  positions  in  the  senior  clerk 
grade  is  placed  opposite  the  type  of  position  in  the  specialist 
group  for  which  it  naturaUy  prepares. 


AN    OFFICE    PROBLEM 

A  Public  Utility  Petitioning  the  State 

Secretarial  Clerk  Secretary 

Receives    people    coming    to    the      Dispatches    work;     arranges    for 
office  on  the  matter;    answers  all      hearing;      gives    instructions    on 
questions  possible;    writes  or  die-      work  to  be  done, 
tates  letters  bearing  on  the  prob- 
lem. 


APPENDIX 


339 


Filing  Clerk 

Brings  together  all  correspondence, 
and  reports  bearing  on  the  prob- 
lems; has  charge  of  filing  and 
safe-keeping  of  correspondence, 
reports,  and  rates. 

Statistical  Clerk 

Assists  statistician  in  working  up 
statistical  data  into  tabular  form, 
and  into  diagrams  and  curves  for 
comparative  purposes.    "■ 

Recording  Clerk 

Assists  accountant,  checking  ac- 
counts and  statements,  and  pre- 
paring accounting  exhibits. 

Examining  Clerk 

Assists  examiner,  sorting  and  sum- 
marizing material  for  his  exam- 
ination. 

Stenographer 

Takes  dictation  and  correspond- 
ence relating  to  the  problem. 


Librarian 

Looks  up  and  produces  library 
material  bearing  on  the  matter 
in  question. 


Statistician 

Formulates  plan  for,  and  ac- 
cumulates statistical  data  on  the 
problem,  and  interprets  them. 

Accountant 

Investigates  financial  accounts 
and  statements  of  the  corporation 
playing  a  part  in  the  problem 
under  discussion. 

Examiner 

Examines  and  correlates  data  per- 
taining to  case  and  makes  report 
on  findings. 

Reporter 

Reports  hearings  held  before  com- 
mission. 


The  Commission  thus  urges  the  candidate  to  analyze 
himself,  and  to  analyze  his  job,  to  take  a  look  ahead,  to 
determine  what  kind  of  position  he  desires,  and  to  work 
toward  that  goal.  It  helps  him  by  analyzing  the  positions 
witliin  its  power  to  offer,  and  by  setting  before  him  clearly 
just  what  he  should  do  to  obtain  and  hold  the  position  he 
desires. 

What  is  the  nature  of  the  examinations,  when  are  they 
offered,  and  how  should  one  prepare  for  them.^ 

If  you  wish  to  take  the  United  States  civil  service  examina- 
tion, write  to  the  United  States  Civil  Service  Commission, 
Washington,  D.C.,  or  to  the  secretary  of  the  United 
States    Civil    Service    Board    of    Examiners    at    Boston, 


340  CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION  EXERCISES 

Massachusetts ;  New  York,  New  York ;  Philadelphia,  Penn- 
sylvania; Atlanta,  Georgia;  Cincinnati,  Ohio;  Chicago, 
Ilhnois;  St.  Paul,  Minnesota;  St.  Louis,  Missouri;  New 
Orleans,  Louisiana;  Seattle,  Washington;  San  Francisco, 
California;  San  Juan,  Porto  Rico;  Honolulu,  Hawaii; 
Juneau,  Alaska;  or  Balboa  Heights,  Canal  Zone,  for  appK- 
cation  blanks,  stating  which  examination  you  desire  to  take. 
They  will  send  on  request  the  necessary  examination 
blanks  and  also  a  copy  of  Manual  of  Examinations. 
This  book  will  explain  all  about  the  examinations,  and  is 
entirely  free. 

Similarly,  if  you  wish  to  take  examinations  for  a  position 
in  a  state,  county,  or  city,  address  the  Civil  Service  Com- 
mission at  the  city,  county  seat,  or  state  capital,  asking  for 
examination  questions  and  application  blanks. 

As  to  the  opportunities  offered  in  the  Federal  civil  service, 
read  what  E.  H.  Cooper  has  to  say,  in  his  inspiring  book 
How  to  Prepare  for  Civil  Service,  published  by  the  Gregg 
Publishing  Company. 

If  you  are  a  stenographer,  or  a  bookkeeper,  or  an  office  clerk  of  faiir 
ability,  or  if  you  have  finished  a  course  in  some  good  business  college, 
you  can  pass  the  civil  service  examination  with  the  preparation  and 
outline  of  study  given  here. 

There  is  a  larger  demand  for  persons  to  fill  the  positions  of  ste- 
nographer and  typewriter,  bookkeeper,  typewriter  and  clerk,  than  for 
any  other  positions  filled  by  the  Civil  Service  Commission  and  con- 
sequently appointments  are  received  more  quickly. 

Most  of  the  higher  positions  are  filled  by  promotion  from  these 
classes. 

The  above-named  positions  may  be  secured  with  less  time  and 
effort  than  any  other  positions  offered  by  the  Commission  paying 
anywhere  near  as  high  salary. 

Of  the  positions  covered  here,  the  stenographer  and  typewriter 
position  offers,  by  far,  the  best  advantages  and  the  quickest  and  surest 
appointment.  The  demand  for  stenographers  exceeds  so  far  the  supply 
every  year  that  it  sometimes  happens  that  those  who  fail  on  examina- 


APPENDIX  341 

tions  are  offered  positions  because  all  the  lists  of  eligibles  who  passed 
have  been  exliausted. 

This  excessive  demand  for  stenographers  is  due  largely  to  the  fact 
that  almost  aU  the  higher  positions  are  filled  by  promotion  from  the 
rxmks  of  stenographers  and  there  must  be  others  to  fill  their  places. 
Thousands  of  men  and  women  use  the  government  service  as  a  stepping- 
^tone  to  obtain  an  education.  As  soon  as  they  finish  their  schooling 
they  resign  to  take  up  their  profession  or  business  in  their  home,  and 
tliis  makes  many  vacancies  in  the  service. 

Salaries 

With  regard  to  salaries,  on  a  sheet  of  personal  questions  which  you 
will  be  required  at  the  time  of  examination,  you  will  be  asked,  "What  is 
tlie  lowest  salary  you  would  accept?"  In  answer  to  this  question,  if 
a  man,  put  down  nine  hundred  dollars  a  year  if  you  are  taking  the 
stenographer  and  typewriter  examination,  or  the  bookkeeper's  examina- 
tion, and  seven  hundred  twenty  dollars  a  year  if  you  are  taking  the 
clerk  or  typewriter  examination.  If  you  are  a  woman,  put  down  eight 
hundred  forty  dollars  a  y^ar  if  you  are  taking  the  stenographer  and 
typewriter  examination  and  seven  hundred  twenty  dollars  a  year  if 
you  are  taking  the  typewTiter  or  clerk  examination.  ...  If  there 
should  be  open  a  position  which  you  could  fill  and  which  paid  a 
larger  salary  than  you  stated  on  your  papers,  you  would  be  appointed 
at  the  higher  salary. 

The  salaries  named  are  the  begiiming  salaries  only,  and  worth  while 
promotion  is  sure  to  follow  if  your  work  proves  satisfactory.  Many  of 
the  government  employees,  both  men  and  women,  receive  from  two 
thousand  to  three  thousand  dollars  a  year  after  a  few  years  of  service. 

How  Appointments  Are  Made 

W^hen  the  head  of  any  of  the  departments  needs  a  stenographer, 
typist,  bookkeeper,  or  clerk,  he  sends  to  the  Civil  Service  Commission, 
stating  the  salary  to  be  paid.  The  Commission  sends  back  the  names 
and  examination  papers  of  three  persons  who  have  passed  the  examina- 
tion. These  are  the  names  of  those  making  the  highest  grades.  The 
department  head  selects  one  of  the  names  and  sends  the  other  two 
back  to  the  Commission.  The  other  two  are  placed  on  the  register 
until  called  for  agciin. 

When  this  takes  place,  the  appointing  officer  is  likely  to 
select  the  papers  of  neatest  appeai^ance,  rather  than  read 


342  CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION   EXERCISES 

through  all  the  papers^  of  candidates.  If  you  prepared  this 
application  with  unusual  pains,  therefore,  you  may  be  re- 
warded by  an  earlier  appointment.  Neatness  is  important 
in  examination  papers  also. 

Nature  of  the  Examinations  , 

When  you  write  to  the  Civil  Service  Commission  asking 
for  information,  you  will  obtain,  in  addition  to  the  Manual 
of  information  about  the  examinations,  a  set  of  sample 
examination  questions.  These  questions  are  somewhat 
similar  from  year  to  year,  because  the  examinations  must 
cover  the  same  ground.  Consequently  a  careful  study  of 
these  questions,  and  repeated  practice  on  unfamiliar  points, 
will  show  you  what  to  brush  up  on  before  taking  the  examina- 
tions themselves.  If  you  need  much  review,  try  to  secure 
local  instruction,  perhaps  in  some  high  school  class;  for  this 
is  more  likely  to  benefit  you  than  long-distance  instruction 
through  a  correspondence  course. 

A  candidate  desiring  to  qualify  for  a  shorthand  position 
is  required  to  pass  both  the  shorthand  and  the  typewriter 
examinations,  which  are  given  separately.  The  items  covered 
in  the  examinations  and  their  relative  importance  are  indi- 
cated in  the  following  table: 

Stenographer  Typewriter 

Stenography  dictation 75  Copying  and  spacing 20 

Copying  from  rough  draft ...      10  Copying  from  rough  draft ...  15 

Penmanship 5  Copying  from  plain  copy ....  10 

Report  writing 5  Time  on  typewriter 30 

Arithmetic 5  Penmanship 10 

Total 100      Report  writing 10 

Arithmetic 5 

Total 100 

You  will  see  that  some  of  these  subjects  are  the  same  in 
both    examinations,    namely,    copying    from    rough    draft, 


APPENDIX  343 

penmanship,  and  report  writing.  These  are  taken  only 
once.  The  candidate  who  passes  both  examinations  will  have 
the  average  of  his  grades  for  both  combined,  with  a  weight 
of  two  for  the  stenography  and  one  for  the  typewriting, 
and  the  resulting  grade  will  be  entered  on  the  register  as 
indicating  the  rank  of  the  candidate. 

Special  attention  should  be  given  to  the  importance  at- 
tached to  speed  in  the  typewriting  subjects,  particularly  to 
the  difficult  matter  of  tabulation  work,  which  may  be  un- 
familiar to  many  typists.  The  sample  questions  will  con- 
tain an  example  of  tabulation,  and  the  wise  candidate  will 
practice  this  frequently  before  attempting  the  examination, 
so  as  to  grasp  instinctively  just  how  a  similar  piece  of  work 
is  to  be  spaced  on  the  typewriter. 

Arithmetic  is  likely  to  prove  an  unfamihar  subject  to 
many,  and  for  this  reason,  it  may  be  wise  to  secure  some 
opportunity  locally  for  review  on  problems  similar  to  those 
shown  on  the  sample  set  of  questions.  Since  the  total 
rating  on  this  subject,  however,  is  only  five  per  cent,  a  failure 
to  pass  it  is  not  so  damaging  as  failure  to  do  well  on  other 
portions  of  the  examination. 

The  chief  importance  of  studying  the  sample  sets  of  ques- 
tions, and  the  Manual  of  information  concerning  the  exam- 
inations, is  to  give  you  confidence.  If  you  have  been  well 
prepared  in  your  subjects;  if  you  have  analyzed  the  posi- 
tion and  analyzed  your  own  capacities  and  desires;  if  you 
have  fixed  your  eyes  on  the  goal  you  wish  to  reach  and  have 
made  a  hfe  plan  for  yourself,  including  a  plan  of  the  factors 
which  must  be  considered  in  attaining  it,  you  can  have  com- 
plete confidence  that  the  civil  service  will  offer  you  either 
a  permanent  position  with  satisfactory  conditions  of  work, 
or  a  training  and  a  stepping-stone  to  further  achievement. 


SHORTHAND  VOCABULARY 


A 

/ 

abbreviate 
ability 
abrupt 
absolute 

r 

abstract 

b- 

abundant 

<=^ 

accelerate 

en 

accessory 
accident 

cry 

accommo- 
date 
accompany 

accomplish 

<^^ 

account 

^ 

accountant 

c:^^^ — ; 

.  accumu- 

'      lation 

accurate 

an> 

accustom 

iTO 

acquire 

CT} 

acquisition 

..2— 

'  acquittal 

1J 

actively 

activity 

^actual 

cr^ 

actually 
adapt 

^ — 'additional 

^ 

address 

^ 

adept 

adequate 
adjacent 
/  adjust 


^ 


adminis- 
tration 

adminis- 
trative 

admirable 

admiration 
admire 


^  adopt 
^^/^—^  adult 

)  advance 

7  advanta- 

Q  geous 

^/-^  adventure 

y  adverse 

y  adversity 

/- —  advertise- 

Q  ment 

/^  advertiser 

^  advisf^ble 

.^  affidavit 

2, ^  aforemen- 
tioned 

<iiP  afraid 

^^  afterward 

^f—i-r.  against 

/  agency 

^-^  aggregate 

V  aggression 

'f  agreeable 

.. —  agreement 


V 


-7^ 


c^ 


T 


agricul- 
tural 
agriculture 

alacrity 
—  alignment 
allegiance 
allowance 
almost 
already 
alteration 
altered 
alternate 
alternative 
although 
altogether 
—aluminum 
ambassador 
ambulance 
ammunition 
among 
amount 
analysis 
analytical 
ancient 
anniversary 
announce 
annoyance 
*  annual 
another 
antecedent 


346 


CONSTRUCTIVE    DICTATION 


t 


^-^ 
""^ 


a 


c 


V 


anticipate 

antiquity 

anxiety 

anxious 

anywhere 

apologize 

apology 

apparently 

appear 

appearance 

appetite 

applicant 

application 

appreciat^Qjj 

appropriate 

appropria- 
tion 

approval 
approximate 
architect 
argue 
argument 
aristocratic 
armature 
arrival 
.  arrogance 
arsenate 
article 
artificial 
artillery 
artistic 


^i^"      ascertain 

{  asperity 

c2^_^    asphalt 

6/        aspirant 

(^        aspiration 

i^^      assistance 

s^-^     assistant 

^ ■  assortment 

<2 assume  . 

<2 ^     assumption 

assurance 

athletic 

atmosphere 

attach 

attitude 

attorney 

attractive 

attribute 

authentic 

^^-^^  authorita- 
tive 
c^^     authority 

c-^-T^     authorize 

</"       autograph 

y'        automatic 

automobile 

auxiliary 

average 

averse 

award 

•^       aware 


^ 


r 


B 

baggage 
balance 
bankrupt 
bankruptcy 
bargain 
barrier 
basement 
battery 
beauteous 
beauties  ; 
beautiful 
begin 
begun 
behind 
behold 
belligerent 
beneficial 
benefit 
betray 
beware 
bewilder 
bichromate 
bicycle 
biggest 
biography 
biologJ.al      • 
"blameworthy 
blunder 
board 


SHORTHAND    VOCABULARY 


347 


book- 
keeper 
borough 

^ 

botanical 

^ 

bother 

i 

boulevard 

boundary 

Cr 

bounteous 

4 

bountiful 

^ 

boyhood 

i 

breakfast 

brevity 
brilliant 

^ 

brokerage 

C^ 

brother 

c^ 

builder 

C- 

building 

c 

bunion 

I 

butcher 

c 

buyer 

C 

r 

cabinet 
calculate 

-^^ 

■^  calendar 

caliber 
campaign 

'-^-i 

cancel 

■^ 

candid 

^^ 

candidate 

-^ 

candy 

-^ 

canned 

r 

y 

T 


7 


"^^ 


-? 


canner 

.  capability 

capable 

capacity 

capitalist 

capitalistic 

capitaliza- 
tion 

capitalize 

captive 

captivity 

capture 

carbon 

carburetor 

carefully 

carelessness 

cares 

carpenter 

carriage 

carrier 

cartilage 

carton 

cartoon 

casserole 

casual 

catalogue 

caustic 

cavity 

celebrate 

censor 

censure 


/ 


f 

t 
/ 


/ 


'/ 


central 

centralize 

century 

certainty 

cessation 

chairman 

challenge 

chaotic 

character- 
istic 

characterize 

charitable 

charity 

chassis 

chauffeur 

cheerful 

chemical 

cherish 

cheviot 

chiffonier 

chocolate 
y 

chronologic 
ical 

church 

cigar 
'cigarette 

circuit 

circular 

circulate 

circumspect 

circumstance 

circumstantial 


348 


CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION 


y 


circumvent 

citizen 

civilization 

claimant 

claims 

classifi- 
cation 
classify 

clearance 

clearness 

clerical 

clever 

clientage 

clientele 

clinical 

close 

collectible 

collective 

colonial 

colony 

column 

combination 

combine 

combustion 

comedy 

comfort 

command 

command- 
ant 
commander 

comment 

commerce 


? 


commercial 

committee 

commodity 

communicatjQ 

community 

compact 

companion 

compara- 
tive 
compare 

comparison 

compel 

compensa- 
tion 

compete 

competent 

competition 

competitive 

competitor 

complacent 

compP™ 

completeness 

completion 

compliance 

compliment 

composition 

compound 

comrade 

conceive 

concentrate 

conception 

conclusion 


7-^ 


7, 


7 
7 

-2J 


-7- 


conducive 
conduct 
conference 
confiden^® 
confidential 
confirmation 
conflict 
conform 
confound 
confuse 
congestion 
'Congratulate 
connect 
conqueror 
conquest 
conscience 
conscious 

CC 

consequent 

conservation 

conservative 

considerable 

considerate 

consignee 

consist 

consistency 

consistent 

consonant 

constant 

constitute 

constitution 


7 


P. 


constraint 

construct 

construction 

constructive 

construe 

consult 

consume 

consumer 

consumption 

contain 

contem- 
plate 
content 

'continual 

continue 

continues 

continuous 

contract . 

contradict 

contrary 

contrast 

contribute 

contribution 

control 

conveniens 

conversation 

conveyance 

conviction 

cookery 

co-operat^Qjj 

co-ordinate 


SHORTHAND    VOCABULARY 


ce 


7 


7 

■ — ^^ 


-v 


copyright 

cordial 

corner 

correspon- 
dent 
count 

counter 

counteract 

counter- 
mand 
countersign 

country 

county 

couple 

coupon 

courage 

court 

courteous 

courtesy 

creditor 

-  criminal 

critical 

criticis, 

critics 

crockery 

cultivate 

cultivation 

culture 

cumber- 
some 
curiosity 

curious 

currency 


4 


-^ 


^ 


^ 
7 


^ 


^ 
^ 

^ 
^ 


349 

current 
customary 
customer 
cylinder 
^cylindrical 

D 
daily 
damage 
danger 
dangerous 
darkened 
darkness 
daughter 
dealer 
dealings 
dearest 
dearly 
debit 
debtor 
deceit 
deceive 
decidedly 
declaration 
declined 
deduce 
deduct 
deepest 
default 
defective 
defend 


350 


CONSTRUCTIVE    DICTATION 


/^  defense 

1^^  defer 

^  deficiency 

(^'2—  definiteness 

/-^  definition 

y7  degenerate 

y^^"^  degree 

y^^~f  deliberate 

^    ""^delicate 

^y^^—Y  delicious 

y^ — ^  delivery 

/"^^'^  demand 

(^  demeanor 

("^^^  democracy 

/'^'^  democratic 

/'"^  demonstrate 

^  demoralize 

^^  demurrage 

y^  density 

y^ —  department 

yC-^-  departmen- 
tal 

yC^  departure 

y^C^  dependence 

/^/  dependent 

yC deportment 

y^'  deposit 

^^  depositor 

yC  depravity 

yC£>  deprive 

yy  derivative 


^ 


^7_^ 


descendant 

describe 

description 

descriptive 

designate 

desirability 

desirable 

desires 

desirous 

desolate 

despair 

desperate 

despise 

despondent 

destination 

destiny 

destitute 

destroy 

destructive 

desultory 

details 

detract 

detrimental 

develop 

develop- 
ment 

J      -ce 
devi. 


/^ 


dictation 

diction 

dictionary 

diet 

differential 

dignify 

dignity 

dilapidate 

diligence 

diligent 

dinner 

'diploma 

directory 

disability 

disable 

disadvan-^ 

_  tage 
disagree 

-ment 
disagree- 
able 

disappear 

disappear- 
ance 

disappoint 
-ment 

disapproval 

disapprove 

disaster 

disastrous 

disburse 

discard 

discernment 

discipline 

disclosure 


SHORTHAND    VOCABULARY 


351 


^ 


discomfort 
disconnect 
discontent 
discontinue 

discount 

discourage 

discover 

discredit 

discrepancy 

discretion 

discrimi- 
nate 
discuss 

discussion 

disfavor 

disfigure 

dishonest 

disincline 

disinherit 

disinter- 
ested 
disloyalty 

dismiss 

dismissal 

disorder 

disorganize 

disparage 

dispense 

displeasure 

disposal 

dispose 

disposition 


.y^ 
^ 


y^ 


disprove 

dispute 

disqualify 

disregard 

disrespect 

dissatisfy 

dissipate 

distance 

distant 

distinct 

distinctive 

distinguish 

distract 

distress 

distribution 

distrust 

disturb 

diversifi- 
cation 
diversify 


r 


drown 
drudgery 
druggist 
durability 
durable 
duteous 
duties 
E 
eager 
earlier 
earliest 
earnest 
eastern 
eccentric 
economical 
economist 
economize 
economy 
editorial 
educational 
effective 
effectual 
efficiency 
efficient 
elaborate 
elastic 
elective 
electric 
electrical 
electricity 


352 


CONSTRUCTIVE    DICTATION 


^ 


7 


j^ 


7 


7 
Z 


electrotype 

elemental 

elementary 

-  eliminate 

eloquen^*^ 

elsewhere 

emancipate 

embargo 

emergency 

emigration 

eminent 

emphatic 

emphatically 

employ 

employee 

employer 

empower 

enable 

enact 

encounter 

encourage 

endeavor 

endurance 

energetic 

energetic- 
ally^ 
energize 

energy 

engage 

engine 

enmity 


-^ 


enormity 

enormous 

enrapture 

enter 

entered 

enterprise 

enthusias^g 

_^      enthusiast 

^     entire 

_>"    entirely 

_J^   entitle 

-Z^     entrance 

.^^-^  entry 

envelope 
environment 


^. 


'^        environ- 
"7  mental 

~r~^   episode 
^equal 

^      equality 
equally 
equipment 
equitable 
equivalent 
escape 
escutcheon 
especially 
essential 
establish 
esteem 

^'-''^^^'^estimate 


r 
y 

7 
/ 

r 


J 


eternal 
eternity 
event 

everywhere 
evident 
exaggerate 
cP^ —  examination 
^^?— :-    example 


/ 


exasperate 

excellent 

lence 
except 


/ 


exception 

exceptional 

excessive 

exchange 

y       exclusive 

,2 ^    excursion 

7-y     excuse 

execution 

executive 

exemption 

exercise 

exertion 

expect 

(^   expedient 

(^   expenditure 

/       expensive 

^ experiment 

(^ .  experi- 
mental 
(C-      expert 


7 


P 
/ 


SHORTHAND    VOCABULARY 


353 


^ 
d 


Z 


6 


expiration 

expire 

explanation 

explicit 

explosive 

export 

exposition 

express 

exten^. 

exterior 

extinguish 

extract 

extraordi- 
nary 
extreme 

extremity 

F 

fabric 

facilitate 

facility  \ 

factor 

factory 

faculty 

failure 

faith 

faithful 

faithless 

falsehood 

familiar 

familiarity 

families 


1 


J^ 


354 


CONSTRUCTIVE   DICTATION 


J 


fortunate 

fortune 

forum 

forward 

foster 

found 

foundation 

foundry 

fountain 

fracture 

fragment 

fragran^ 

fraternity 

fraudulent 

freight 

frequen^^ 

friendless 

friendship 

frivolity 

frugality 

frustrate 

fulfill 

fullest 

function 

fundamental 

furious 

furnish 

furniture 

further 

furtherance 


fusion 

futile 

futility 

futurity 

G 

gallantry 

galvanized 

garage 

garment 

gasoline 

gathering 

general 

generality 

generali- 
zation 
generalize 

generally 

generate 

generation 

generosity 

generous 

genial 

geniality  i 

genius 

gentility 

genuine 

geographi- 
cal 
geography 

geological 

ically 
geometrical 

geometry 


gesture 

gigantic 

gingham 

gladden 

gladness 

glorify  , 

glorious 

glory 

glycerin 

golden 

goodly 

goodness 

govern 

-ment 

governable 


govern- 
mental 


grade 

gradual 

^-:2_^,,^-^  gradually 

,,.^-x_a-^  graduate 

graduation 

grammat- 
ical 

grandeur 

granulate 

graphic 

graphical 

grateful 


^^2f 


^--n^ 


J 


gratifica- 
tion 


^--L^  gratify 
,,--7^>^      gratitude 
^- — u>'*^  gratuitous 


^ 


cb — x^ 
a' 


c^- 


gratuity 
gravitate 
gravitation 
gravity 
greater 
greatest 
greatly 
greatness 
grievance 
grievous 
guarant^^ 
guardian 
gumption 
guttural 
gymnasium 
gymnastics 
H 

haber- 
dashery 
habit 

habitual 

handicapped 

handiwork 

handker- 
chief 
handsome 

happiness 

harden 

hardiness 

hardness 

hardware 

harmless 


SHORTHAND    VOCABULARY 


P. 

9^ 


yp 


^<^ 


harmless- 

ness 
harshness 


harvest 

hasten 

hastily 

helpful 

helpless 

hemisphere 

hereafter 

herein 

herewith 

heroic 

hesitancy 

hesitate 

hickory 

hideous 

highest 

himself 

hindrance 

historical 

hitherto 

homestead 

homeward 

honest 

honorable 

honorarium 

honorary 

hopeful 

hopeless 

horizon 


7 

X 


7 


355 

horizontal 

horrible 

horrify 

horse  power 

hosiery 

hospitable 

hospital 

hospitality 

hostility 

household 

housekeeper 

however 

humanity 

humiliate 

humility 

humorous 

hundred 

husband 

hydrant 

hydrogen 

li;^'phen 

h^TJnotic 

hj'pocrisy 

hysterical 

I 
idea 
ideal 
idealism 
idealist 
idealistic 


356 


CONSTRUCTIVE    DICTATION 


V 


ce 


idealize 

identical 

identifica- 
tion 
identify 

identity 

ignition 

c 
ignoranf 

illegal 

illegibility 

illegibfe 

illiteracy 

illiterate 

illogical 

illustratjQQ 

illustrative 

illustrious 

e 
imagination 

ine 
imaginable 

imaginary 

imaginative 

imitate 

imitation 

immaculate 

immaterial 

immature 

immense 

immigraj 

imminent 

imnaoderate 

.immoral 


nt 


T 


"X 


-J 


T 


-7 


mmortal 

mmovable 

mpart 

mpartial 

mpartiality 

mpatience 

mpatient 

mpediment 

mperative 

mpercep- 

tible 
mperfect 

mperial 

mperil 

mperious 

mpersonal 

mpetuous 

mpetus 

mport 

mporter 

mpose 

mposition 

mpossi- 

bility 
mpossible 

mpracti- 

cable 
mproba- 

bility 
mp  roper 

mpropriety 

mpulsive 

mpunity 

mpure 


T 

r 


-^ 


% 


-^ 


7 


mpurity 

mputation 

mpute 

nability 

naccessible 

naccuracy 

naccurate 

nactive. 

nactivity 

nadequate 

nadvert- 

ence 
naTtic- 

ulate 
nasmuch 

nattention 

naugurate 

ncandes- 

cent 
ncendiary 

ncessant 

ncident 

ncidental 

ncisive 

ncivility 

nclination 

nclined 

nclosure 

nclude 

nclusive 

ncome 


ncompa- 
rable 

ncompetent 


^ 


-^^ 


:? 


_/^ 


r 


SHORTHAND    VOCABULARY 

incomplete 
^ incongruous 


incon- 
siderate 
•  •      ce 

inconvenien^ 

incorrectly 

incur 

indebted- 
ness 
indeed 

indefinite 

indemnity 

independent 

indict 

indignant 

'indignation 

indirect 

individual 

individual- 
ity 
indorsement 

induce 

induction 

indulge 

-nee 
indulgent 

industrial 

industries 

industrious 

inefficiency 

inefficient 

inequality 

inevitable 

inexcusable 


7 

( 
p 


^r 


I 

7 
7 
7 


-^ 


nexperi- 

cnce 
nfallible 


influential 

informality 

information 

infrequen^^ 

ingenious 

ingenuity 

ingenuous 

ingredient 

inherent 

inherit 

inheritance 

initial 

initiate 

initiation 

initiative 

injunction 

injury 

injuries 

injurious 

injustice 

'  C6 

innocen^ 

inordinate 

inquiry 

inquisition 

inscribe 

inscription 

inside 

insignificant 


7 

7 

7^ 
7, 


-z^ 


■n 


J 


357 

insist 

insistent 

inspect 

inspection 

inspector 

inspiration 

inspire 

instability 

install 

installation 

installment 

instanta- 
neous 
instead 

instill 

instinct 

instinctive 

institute 

institution 

instruct 

instruction 

instructive 

instructor 

instrument 

instru- 
mental 

instrumen- 
tality 

insubordi- 
nate 

insufficient 

insulate 

insult 

insuperable 


358 

c 


o 


^7^ 

7 
7 


insupport- 
able 

insiippress- 
ible 

integrity 

intellect 

-ual 

intelligible 
intelligent 
intend 
intensify  , 
intensity 
intensive 
intent 
intention^ 
intentional 
intercede  • 
interchange 
intercourse 
interest 
interested  , 
interference 
interior 
'  interlude 
intermediate 

intermina- 
ble 

intermis- 
sion 

intermit- 
tent 

internal 

interna- 
tional 
interpose 

interpret 

interpretation 


CONSTRUCTIVE    DICTATION 


/ 


7 


2 


nterpreta- 

tive 
nterroga- 

tive 
nterrupt 

ntersect 

nterstate 

nterurban 

nterval 

ntervene 

nterview 

ntestate 

ntimacy 

ntimate 

ntimation 

ntoxication 

ntrench 

ntrepid 

ntricacy 

ntricate 

ntrigue 

ntrinsic 

ntroduce 

ntroduc- 

tion 
ntroduc- 

tory 
ntrospec- 

tion 

ntrude 

ntrust 

ntuition 

nvention 

nventive 

nventory 


Z. 


z 

2 


z. 


"-r 

7 


r 


^ 


nvestigate 

nvestiga- 

tion 
nvestigator 

nvestment 

nvisible 

nvitation 

nvoluntary 

nvulnerable 

nward 

odine 

ron 

rrational 

rregularity 

rrelevant 

rresistible 

rrespon- 

sible 
rrigation 

rritability 

rritable 

rritate 

rritation 

solation 

ssuance 

tinerary 

tself 

J 

janitor 

jargon 

jaunty 

jealous 


SHORTHAND    VOCABULARY 


359 


L^    jeal 


ousy 


vel 


K ^jewelry 

L 


L 
L 

/ 


journal 
journalism 
journalist 
journey 
joyful 
joyous 
I         jubilant 
/      jubilee 
/  judgment 
l^     judicial 
/^     judicious 
junction 
junior 
jurisdiction 
just 
justice 
justifiable 
justification 
justify 
juvenile 
K 
keenness 
kerosene 


L 
L 


y 


— ^ 


r 


keyboard 


keystone 
-^     kindest 
kindly 


1 


X 


V 


r 


V 


-^ 


kindred 
kinds 
kitchen 
•knowingly 
knowledge 

L 
label 
labor 
laborer 
laborious 
language 
lantern 
largest 
lateral 
latitude 
lawyer 
laziness 
leadership 
leather 
lecture 
legal 
legality 
legibihty 
legislate 
legislation 
legislative 
legislator 
legislature 
legitimate 
leisure 


O 


^-^ 


360 


-^ 


liken 

likeness 

likewise 

limitation 

limousine 

^linoleum 
listless 
literal 
literally 
literary 
literature 
lithograph 
lithographic 
livelihood 
loca[^ 

,  locality 
location 
logical 
lowly 

loyal 

-ty 
luggage 

lumber 

luncheon 

luxurious 

luxury 

M 

machine 

machinery 

machinist 

magazine 


CONSTRUCTIVE    DICTATION 

— -^         magistrate  — e^ 


^ 


magnani- 
mous 
magnate 

magnet 

magnetic 

magnetism 

magnetize 

magneto 

magnificent^ 

magnify 

magnitude 

mahogany 

mailable 

'mainten- 
ance 
majestic 

majesty 

major 

majority 

manage 

management 

manager 

manhood 

manifest 

manifesta- 
tion 

manipulate 
manual 

manufac- 
ture 

manufac- 
turer 

manuscript 

margin 


T^ 


-^ 


marvel 

-ous 

masculine 

master 

masterful 

masterly 

mastery 

material 

materialist 

materialize 

materially 

mathematic- 
al 
mathematics 

matrimony 

matter 

mattress 

mature 

maturity 

maximum 

mayor 

meantime 

meanwhile 

measure 

measure- 
ment 
mechanic 

mechanical 

mechanician 

mechanism 

medicine 

mediocrity 


SHORTHAND    VOCABULARY 


361 


/ 


meditation 

melancholy 

member 

memento 

memoranda 

memoran- 
dum 
-memorial 

memorize 

mental 

mentality 

mentally 

mercantile 

mercenary 

mercerize 

merciful 

merely 

message 

messenger 

metal 

metallic 

meteorolog 

meter 

method 

methodical 

metric 

metrical 

metropolis 


metropoli- 
tan 
miscroscope 

mileage 


y 

ical 


-? 


military 

s-millinery 

million 

millionaire 

mimeograph 

miniature 

minimum 

minister 

ministry 

minority 

miracle 

miraculous 

mirage 

miscellane- 
ous 
mischief 

misconcep- 
tion 
misconstrue 

miscount 

misdemean- 
or 
miserable 

misfortune 

misinter- 
pret 

misrepre- 
sent 

missionary 

missive 

misspelling 

mistake 

mistaken 

mistrust 

misunderstand- 
ing 


7 


modifica- 
tion 
modify 

modulate 

mohair 

moisture 

moment 

momentary 

monogram 

monograph 

monologue 

monopolize 

monopoly 

monotonous 

monotony 

monument 

monumental 

moral 

morality 

moralize 

morbid 

moreover 

mortal 

mortality 


362 


CONSTRUCTIVE  DICTATION 


mother 

motor 

motorist 

~  mountain 

'mountain- 
ous 
mourn 

mournful 

multiple 

multiply 

multitude 

municipal 

municipal- 
ity 
munificence 

munificent 

munition 

murderer 

murderous 

muriatic 

muscular 

musical 

musician 

mustard 

mutual 

mutually 

myself 

mysterious 

mystery 

mystic 

mystify 

mythical 


-7^ 
^1 


N 
.  nainsook 

naive 
-  nameless 
namely 
naphtha 
narcotic 
narrowness 
national 
nationality 
nativity 
'  natural 
'  naturalist 
'  naturalize 
'  naturally 
nature 
nautical 
naval 

navigabihty 
navigate 
nearest 
nearly 
nearness 
necessarily 
necessary 
necessity 
neglect 
negligence 
-"-""^y  negligent 
-»'-^  negotiability 


-z^ 


X 


-P' 


-r^ 


C 

/ 


/ 

7 


— ^ 


r 


r 


negotiable 

negotiate 

neighbor- 
hood 
nervous 

neuter 

neutral 

-ity 

neutralize 
nitric 
nitrogen 
nobility 
noble 
nobody 
-nominal 
nomination 
nonentity 
nonessential 
nonsense 
normal 
northern 
northerner 
notability 
notable 
notation 
noteworthy 
noticeable 
notification 
notify 
notoriety 
notorious 
notwithstanding 


SHORTHAND    VOCABULARY 


363 


7 


2 


-T^ 


<7 

c 


z 


c 

c 


r 


nourish 
novel 
novelist 
novelty 
nowadays 
nowhere 
nuisance 
number 
,  numerical 
numerous 
nutriment 
nutrition 
nutritious 
nutritive 

O 
obedience 
obedient 
objection 
objective 
obligate 
obligation 
obligingly 
oblivion 
oblivious 
obscure 
obscurity 
observance 
observant 
observation 
observe 


L 

ly^^     obstinate 


? 


7 


obstacle 
obstinacy 


I. 


obstruct 
obstruction 
obtain 
obvious 
occasional 
occupancy 
occupant 
occur 
occurrence 
^oculist 
offer 

officeholder 
officer 
offices 
officially 
officiate 
officious 
oneself 
onward 
open 
operate 
operation 
operative 
operator 
opponent 
opportune 
oppose 


? 


opposite 

opposition 

oppression 

oppressive 

optic 

optical 

optician 

optimism 

optimist 

optimistic 

optional 

oral 

orbit 

orchard 

orchestra 

ordain 

ordeal 

ordinal 

ordinance 

ordinary 

ordination 

ordnance 

organic 

organism 

organist 

organizer 

oriental 

origin 

original 

originahty 


364 


CONSTRUCTIVE    DICTATION 


-^ 


2 


y 


<" 


<f2 


^^y^- 


z 


y 


y 


originate 
ornament 
.  ornamental 
ornate 

ornithologf(.jji 
orphan 
orthodox 
ostensible 
ostentation 
ostracize 
ostrich 
otherwise 
ourselves 
outcast 
outcome 
outlet 
outnumber 
output 
outside 
outsider 
outstanding 
outward 
overalls 
overboard 
overcome 
overconfident® 
overnight 
overpower 
overrule 
oversight 


/ 


^ 
O 


>-        overt 
z^'"    overtime 
o_^       owners 
^_^        ownership 
^_^  oxalic 
^^     oxidize 
oxygen 
oyster 
ozone 

P 
pacific 
pacifist 
pacify 
package 
palatial 
^^1--,     pamphlet 
cA--—^  panel 
/        parable 
^^    paradise 
paradox 
paraffin 
paragraph 
parallel 
paralysis 
paralyze 
paramount 
pardon 
C^y^      parenthesis 

C^ parliament 

^  partial 


(_ 


9 


6 


^ 


^ 

^ 


participate 
participle 
particle 
partisan 
partition 
partnership 
passage 
passenger 
passport 
password 
pasture 
,  paternal 
pathetic 
pathologfc^l 
pathos 
pathway 
patience 
patient 
patriarch 
patrician 
patrimony 
patriot 
patriotic 
patriotism 
patrol 
patron 
patronage 
patronize 
pattern 
peculiar 


SHORTHAND    VOCABULARY 


36i 


ly- 


9 
9 

(y- 


f 


^ 

^ 

^ 


c 


^ 


peculiarity 

pecuniary 

pedagogical 

pedagogy 

pedantic 

pedestal 

penalty 

perfect 

perfection 

perfunctory 

period 

periodical 

periscope 

perish 

perjury 

permanence 

permanent 

permission 

perpendic- 
ular 
perpetrate 

perpetual 

perpetuate 

persecute 

persecution 

persever- 
ance 
persist 

persistence 

persistent 

person 

-al 
personage 


personality 

personnel 

perspiration 

perspire 

persuade 

persuasion 

pertain 

pertinent 

pessimist 

pessimistic 

petition 

petroleum 

pharmacy 

philosophy 

phonetic 

phonograph 

phonograph- 
ic 
photograph 

photograph- 
er 

photograph- 
ic 

photography 

phraseology 

physical 

physician 

physiologfcai 

piano 

picnic 

picture 

pistol 

piteous 


^  pitiful 

(^         plaintiff 
C_ci^      plaintive 
C_^      platinum 

plausibility 

plausible 

plural 

plurality 

plutocrat 

pneumatic 

poetical 

poignant 

poison 

poisonous 

political 

politics 

popular 

popularity 

population 

portrait 

position 

positive 

postal  card 

post  card 


L 


(^^ — L.tf'^'^postgrad- 
uate 


posthaste 

post-office 

postpone 

postscript 

potassium 


366 

c 


c^ 


C^ 


potent 

potential 

pound 

poverty 

practical 

practice 

praise- 
worthy 
precinct 

precious 

precision 

predecessor 

predicament 

prefer 

preference 

prejudice 

.  preliminary 

premises 

premium 

preparation 

prepare 

prescribe 

prescription 

presence 

present 

presentation 

president 

presidential 

prestige 

presume 

presumption 


CONSTRUCTIVE    DICTATION 

C^      pretend 


9 


productiv- 
ity ^ 
proficiency 

proficient 

profit 

program 

progress 

progressive 

prominence 

prominent 


(^ — e  promise 

C — t^  promissory 

C^-^  pronoun 

C — r    pronounce 

(S-^^  pronunci- 

"^         ation 
Cy       proof 

C.  propeller 

C  property 

(^  prophet 

r  proportion 

(^  proposal 


propose 
proposition 
propound 
proprietor 
<r         propriety 
C        proscribe 
(^     proscription 


'7 

1 

t 


% 


prospect 

prospective 

prosperity 

prosperous 

protect 

protection 

protective 

protest 

prove 

provide 

providence 

provision 


SHORTHAND    VOCABULARY 


367 


4 


i 


L 

/ 
f 


-2-^ 

.-.x^ 


provocation 

provoke 

proximity 

prudent 

psychical 

psychologJ.ai 

publicity 

publisher 

punctual 

punctuality 

punctuate 

punctuation 

puncture 

purchase 

purchaser 

pure 

purify 

purity 

purpose 

pursuant 

pursue 

pursuit 

puzzle 

Q 

quadrant 

quadratic 

quadruple 

quadrupli- 
cate 
qualification 

qualify 


.-z^ 


7 


,  quarrel 

quarter 

quarterly 

quarter- 
master 
queer 

querulous 

question- 
able 
questioner 


o=^ 


quietus 

quinine 

quite 

quizzical 

quorum 

quotation 

quotient 

R 
radiant 
radiate 
radiator 
radical 
rapid 
rapidity 
rarity 
rather 


question- 
naire 
quicken 

quickness 

7 

quiet. 

^ 

quietly 

quietude 

ratification 

ratify 

rationality 

realist 

-ic 
reality 

realiza- 
tion 
realize 

realty 

reason 

reasonable 

reasoned 

receipt 

receivable 

receiver 

recent 

receptive 

recheck 

recipient 

reciprocate 

reciprocity 

recital 

recitation 

reclaim 

recline 

recluse 

recognition 

recognize 

recollect 

recollection 

■recommend 


.368 


CONSTRUCTIVE    DICTATION 


^ 
-^ 


-7 


-7 


x_— e>--'"37 


r 


?' 


I 


^  recommen- 
dation 
recompense 

reconcile 

reconsider 

reconstruct 

reconstruc- 
tion 
recount 

recourse 

recover 

recreation 

recruit 

rectify 

recuperate 

recur 

redeem 

redemption 

redistribute 

reduce 

reduction 

referee 

refinement 

reflect 

reflection 

reflector 

reformation 

refrigeratfon 

refrigerator 

refusal 

refuse 

refute 


/ 


z 


-regal 
regardless 
regiment 
register 
registration 

ret 
regular 


Y 

r 
7 

r 


^-^ 

^ 


remmiscen 


remnant 

remon- 
strance 
remorse 

^removal 

remove 

remunerate 

remunera- 
tion 

remunera- 
tive 
renewal 

reorder 

reorganize 

repetition 

replacement 

repose 

repository 

representa- 
tion 

representa- 
tive 

reproduc- 
tion 

republic 

reputation 

repute 

request 

require 

requisite 

requisition 

reside 

residence 

resident 

resignation 

resist 


SHORTHAND  VOCABULARY 


369 


^ 


resistance 


-T^__,^  resolute 
--^_^.^    resolution 
v-^       resort 
^        resource 


z 


7 

7 


respective 

respire 

respite 

respond 

responsfj^,^ 

responsibil- 
ity 
responsive 


^,^_G-^  restaurant 
^-i^~-/^  restoration 


v-t?>— '  restore 

-H-  restrain 

^rL^  restraint 

"X^  restrict 

^  restriction 

v-^  result 

>-2 resume 

-^2-— r  resumption 

^^•^  retail 

^j*-*^  retailer 

^->*^  reticen^^ 

^^  retire 

y^  retirement 

y-c^^  retort 

'~:^  retract 

""^  retraction 


7 


■r 
^ 


..^^ 


/ 


retreat 

retrench 

retribution 

retrieve 

retrogres- 
sion 
retrospect 

reunion 

reverence 

reverend 

revival 

revolution 

revolution- 
ary 

revolution- 
ist 

revolution- 


revolver 
reward 
rheumatic 
ridicule 
righteous 
rightful 
rightly 
rigorous 
riotous 
river 
^-- — -—    romantic 
^-^-* — ~y  rotogravure 
-^  roughen 

_^  roughness 

wv^       routine 
•-*« — '    royal 


> 


-^ 


d— -^ 


royalty 

rule 

-rural 

rustic 

ruthless 

S 

sacrifice 

safest 

safety 

sagacious 

sagacity 

salary 

salesman 

salesman- 
ship 

salesmen 

salt 

sample 

sanguine 

sanitary 

sanity 

sarcasm 

sarcastic 

scarcity 

schedule 

scholar 

scholarship 

school 

scrupl,%u3 

seasonable 

second 


370 


CONSTRUCTIVE    DICTATION 


-7 


y 


r 

c 

/ 

5^ 


secondary 
secretarial 
secretary 
sectional 


self-confiden^® 
self-conscious 

self-consti- 
tuted 

self-control 

self-evident 

self-govern 

-merit 
self-interest 

selfish 

senator 

sensibility 

sensible 

separate 

separation 

separator 

several 

sherbet 

sheriff 

shipment 

shipped 


-^ 


-^ 


"^ 


shipper 

short 

shortage 

shorten 

shorthand 

shortly 

shoulder 

shrewd 

signal 

signature 

signify 

silence 

silent 

similar 

similarity 

simple 

simplicity 

simplify 

simply 

simultan- 
eous 
sincere 

.  -^y . 

sincerity 

singular 

singularity 

situation 

skeptical 

sketch 

social 

socialist 

sociology 


y 


i 


L 

7 

L 

■i 


solicit 

solicitation 

somewhere 

sophistical 

sordid 

sort 

sought 

source 

south 

southeast 

southeastern 

southern 

southerner 

southwest 

south- 
western 
souvenir 

sovereign 

speaker 

special 

specialist 

specialize 

specialty 

specific 

specification 

specify 

speculate 

speculation 

speculative 

speculator 

speechless 


SHORTHAND    VOCABULARY 


^ 
^ 


>^ 


speed 

speedily 

spiritless 

spiritual 

spiritualist 

spirituality 

spirituous 

splendid 

splendor 

standard 

standardize 

starred 

started 

statement 

statesman 

statesman- 
ship 
station^jy 

statistics 

statuary 

steam 

steamship 

stenographer 

stenographic 

;  stenography 

stimulant 

stimulate 

stimulated 

stimulation 

stimulus 

stockholder 


>^ 


r 


^-^ 


"O 
^ 


>? 


7 


1 
^ 


storm 

straight 

straightened 

stranger 

strengthen 

strength- 
ened 
strict 

strictest 

strike 

stronger 

strongest 

structure 

struggle 

student 

studious 

study 

stupendous 

stupid 

stupidity 

stylish 

subacid 

subagent 

subaltern' 

subcom- 
mittee 
subconscious 

subdivide 

subdue 

subeditor 

subhead 

subject 


/ 


^ 


J. 


/ 


^ 

J^ 


371 

subjection 

sublease 

sublet 

sublime 

sublimity 

submarine 

submerge 

submission 

subordinate 

subpoena 

subscribe 

subscriber 

subscription 

subsequent 

subsidize 

subsidy 

subsist 

subsistence 

substance 

substantial 

substitute 

substitution 

subtract 

subtraction 

suburb 

suburban 

subway 

succeed 

succeeded 

success 


372 


CONSTRUCTIVE    DICTATION 


"y 
^ 


J 


r 


? 
y 


^^-^^ 


<1_^ 


successful 

succession 

successive 

successor 

suffer 

suffrage 

suitability 

suitable 

sulphur 

sulphuric 

superannu- 
ate 

superb 
supercilious 
superficial 
superfluous 

superintend 

-ent 

superior 

superiority 

superlative 

superman 

supernatural 

supersede 

superstition 

supervise 

supervision 

supervisor 

supplement 

.supplement- 
ary 
supply 

support 


/ 
Z 


J 
J. 


'j 


X 


■"o 


supporter 

suppose 

supposition 

suppress 

supremacy 

supreme 

surgeon 

surgery 

surgical 

surrender 

surround 

survival 

survive 

survivor 

susceptible 

susceptive 

suspect 

suspicion 

suspicious 

sword 

syllable 

symbol 

symbolize 

sympathetic 

sympathize 

sympathy 

symptom 

syndicate 

synonymous 

systematic 


systematic- 
ally 


-"-2 


technical- 
ity 
telegram 

telegraph 

telegraphic 

telephone 

temerity 

temperance 

temperature 

temporal 

temporary 

tenacity 

terminal 


SHORTHAND    VOCABULARY 


373 


^ 


y 


r 

-c 


:^ 


termination 

terminus 

territorial 

testify 

testimonial 

testimony 

thankful 

thankless 

thanksgiv- 
ing 
theatrical 

themselves 

theology 

theoretical 

theoretically 

theorist 

theory 

thereafter 

thereby 

therefore 

thereon 

thereupon 

therewith 

-thermometer 

thicken 

thickness 

third 

thirst 

thorough- 
bred 

thorough- 
fare 

thoroughness 


/T 


/ 


.-^ 


r 


thousand 

thousands 

throughout 

thumb 

thump 

thunder 

timber 

tincture 

tobacco 

together 

tolerable 

tolerance 

tolerant 

tolerate 

toleration 

tongue 

topic 

topical 

torment 

torture 

total 

towards 

track 

tract 

traction 

trade 

tradition 

traffic 

tragic 

tranquil 


y 
^ 


^^-^ 


7 


tranquillity 

transact 

transaction 

transcript 

transcrip- 
tion 
transfer 

transient 

transit 

transition 

translation 

transmission 

transmit 

transpire 

transport 

transporta- 
tion 
transpose 

transposi- 
tion 
travel 

traveler 

treasure 

treasurer 

treasury 

'  tremendous 

trial 

tropic 

tropical 

trouble 

trustworthy 

truthful 

tuition 


374 


CONSTRUCTIVE    DICTATION 


7^ 


,$i-^^ 


^ 


r 


r 

r 
7 

7 


--tumult 

tunnel 

turmoil 

turnover 

typewritten 

typical 

typist 
*tyrannical 
U 

ultimate 

ultimately 

ultimatum 

ultimo 

ultrafash- 

ionable 
ultramarine 

ultramon- 
tane 
ultraviolet 

unable 

unaccommo- 
dating 

unaccount- 
able 

unaccus- 
tomed 

unacquaint- 
ed 

unadjusted 

unaffected 

unalterable 

unanimous 

unanswer- 
able 
unattractive 

unavoid- 
able 
unaware 


-^ 


"^ 


<_/«' 

^ 


uncertain 

uncle 

uncomplain- 
ing 

uncondi- 
tional 
unconnected 

uncontrolled 

uncorrected 

uncovered 

undecided 

undelivered 

under 

underbid 

undercharge 

undercurrent 

under- 
estimate 

undergradu- 
ate 

underground 

underhanded 

undermine 

underrate 

undersigned 

understand- 
ing 

undertake 

undervalue 

underwear 

underwent 

underwrite 

-r 
undesirable 

undeveloped 
^^undiplomatic 


-/P. 


■^-^ 


/ 


2J 
7  ^ 


undivided 

undone 

undoubted 

unearned 

unearthed 

uneasiness 

uneducated 

unemployed 

-  unequal 

uneventful 

unexcelled 

unfair 

unfamiliar 

unfinished 

unforeseen 

unfortunate 

unfortun- 
ately 
unfriendly 

unfulfilled 

unfurnished 

unhappi- 

ness 
unharmed 

unheard 

unhonored 

unhurt 

uniform 

uniformity 

unimportant 

uninjured 

unintentionally 


SHORTHAND    VOCABULARY 


37; 


7 


-f 


^^ 


.^ 


uninterest- 
ing 
union 

unionist 

united 

unity 

univerSg 

university 

unjust 

unless 

,  unlimited 

unnatural 

unnecessary 

unnoticed 

unparalleled 

unprece- 
dented 
unqualified 

unques- 
tioned 

unreason- 
able 

unrighteous 

unruly 

unsalable 

unsatisfac- 
tory 
unsupported 

unsuspected 

unsyste- 
matic 
untimely 

untiring 

unto 

untold    • 

untransferable 


-^ 


r 


z 


u 


/ 


^ 

J^ 


untranslat- 
able 

untrust- 
worthy 

unused 

unusual 

-ly 
-unwillingness 

upward 

urban 

urbanity 

urchin 

usage 

useful 

useless 

user 

-utility 

utilize 

utmost 

utterance 

utterly 

V 


/ 


c^ 


vacancy 
vacant 
valuable 
valuation 
cz4^  vanadium 
^        vanity 

variability 
variable 


variance 

variety 

various 


vegetable 
velocipede 
velocity 
venerable 
<X^      venerate 
»^C^       veneration 
■^    ^    ventilate 
J^-i^     ventilation 
venture 
veracity 
verification 
verify 
versatile 
versatility 
versus 
vertical 
vibration 
vice  versa 
vicinity 
victorious 
^         viewpoint 
/        vigilance 

>^--"^  vigorous 
J^^      vindicate 
A — '     virtual 

virtually 

virtuous 

visit 

visitor 

visual 


i 

/ 


376 


^ 


<X 


r 


warm 

warmth 

warn 

warp 

warrant 

warrior 

waterproof 

waybill 

wayward 

weaken 

weakness 


CONSTRUCTIVE    DICTATION 

^ — —V      wealthiest  <r^ — 

V — ^-*        wealthy  «*-°^ 

C             weapon  <rz^ 

«*-»-          weariness  j^- 

==h2_-       wearisome  -» — 

->z-^           weary  -? — 

r-            weather  -^ 

^z^^      weird  '>-^ 

welcome  -^ 

welfare  -t . 

west  ^y^ 

western  — — 

westerner  ^ 

westward  »^_^ 

wharf  3> 

whenever  y 

whereabouts  ^^ 

whereas  ^ 

whereat  -^-^ 

wherewith  "^ 
whether 

y            whoever  i^- 

■^ — g,        wholesale  — -„ 

^ — 5         wholesaler  >" 

^ — -2. —   wholesome  <= — 

yc         widespread  «=— - 

v_^^      willingness  c-^ 


r 


wireless 

.  ,  ,  aw 
withdrawn 
ew 

withdrawal 


withhold 

within 

withstand 

witness 

woman 

women 

wonderful 

wondrous 

woodwork 

woolen 

worded 

7  workman- 
ship 

worldly 
worn 
worry 
worse 
worship 
worst 
worthiness 
worthy 
YZ 
yarn 

yearningly 
yeast 
yeoman 
yield 
younger 
yourself 
youthful 
zealous 


m  36198 


460351 


^■JxA^C  ,   '^■ 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


